The Ski Trip
by Detrianelle
Summary: Hermione visits her Aunt in Red Lodge, Montana and meets someone she DOESN'T expect. PG-13 because of my heinous language. NON OOTP COMPATIBLE! At least...I don't think it is...
1. The Surprise Trip

Disclaimer: Guess what! I OWN HARRY POTTER!!!! *slap* Ok, ok. I don't. But I wish I did.  
  
Hi! I'm Detri! I just wanted to say that I'm kinda new at this, so if I'm doing something wrong, tell me!  
  
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The Ski Trip  
  
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Chapter One  
  
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The Surprise Trip  
  
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"Hermione!" Marilyn Granger called to her daughter. Hermione turned to find her mother calling her name. She quickly walked over to her and gave her a hug, trunk in tow.  
  
"Hi, Mum. Why did you want me to come home for Christmas? I mean, I havn't been home since first year! (A/N: correct me if I'm wrong.)" Hermione asked, pulling away from her mother.  
  
"Well," Marilyn said, walking to the car, "I wanted my little girl home for Christmas because we're.we're going to go to visit your aunt this Christmas."  
  
Hermione wasn't a little girl, like her mother had said, but was a 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was best friends with the famous Harry Potter and the mischievous Ron Weasley, who had taken after his brothers, Fred and George, when they had left at the end of his fifth year. She had smooth shoulder length brown hair with blonde and red highlights. She was 5'9 and only a few inches than the tall Harry, 6'1. But she didn't come anywhere near Ron's 6'3. She had beautiful green-gray eyes-well, she didn't really know all of the colors her eyes were, but they were always between green, gray, silver, and blue. She was thin, but not too thin, and didn't need to starve herself to maintain her figure. She had also filled out over the years. Let's just put it this way: She had a few pursuers at Hogwarts, but just a few (So she thought).  
  
"Why? I mean, Aunt Crystalline sees me every summer and she lives in town." Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, Hermione, we're going to visit your Aunt Cheryl. Do you remember her? We" but she was cut off.  
  
"Mum! Dad hates Aunt Cheryl! What did he say about this?" Hermione burst out.  
  
"Actually, I havn't told him. I'm going to tell him tonight. We're leaving tomorrow morning on a 5 o'clock flight to Salt Lake City, Utah. Then we'll board a flight to Billings, Montana. Your aunt will meet us there." Her mom said simply.  
  
"Oh.Well.Good luck breaking it to Dad." Hermione said, putting her trunk in the trunk (A/N: lol). She then hopped into the passenger seat and her mom started the car.  
  
They talked about how school went for a while, until they became silent. Hermione then took out her discman and popped in her Styx cd. They stayed silent for the rest of the trip home (It took 30 min). 


	2. Aunt Cheryl

Disclaimer: urgh! WHY would I want to own Harry Potter?!?! *look of disgust* *bursts out laughing* I wish I owned it. But, sadly, the only characters that I own in this fic are Cheryl, Marilyn, Dave, and Lucy. There may be more later...but that's all that I own now. Ok? Ok!  
  
A/N: I can't believe I don't have any reviews yet! Well, I hope someone's reading. Please, please, please, please, please, R&R! Flame me if you want to! I don't care! I just want reviews!  
  
~Detri~  
  
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The Ski Trip  
  
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Chapter Two  
  
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Aunt Cheryl  
  
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"Dad! Come ON! We're going to miss the flight!!!" Hermione called as she ran out the door. Her Father, Dave, wasn't too enthused about it. He was dawdling like crazy.  
  
After Hermione and Marilyn yelled at him enough, he finally got into the passenger's seat of the car. They drove to the airport and went to get rid of their luggage. As her mom took care of that, Hermione looked at the busy airport. For 4:30 in the morning, it sure was busy there.  
  
She turned around and a person ran into her. She looked up and saw the person walk by without so much as a 'sorry' or 'here, let me help you.' The only thing she saw of them as they hurried away was a flash of platinum blonde hair before they disappeared into the crowd.  
  
"Come on, honey. We need to get upstairs, and fast." Her mom said, and helped her up. Her mom took off into the crowd, and Hermione grabbed her dad's hand and drug him after her mom.  
  
They rushed across the airport to the metal detector (A/N: Does anyone know what those are called? Because I'm clueless when it comes to this) and rushed through it. That went smoothly until Hermione went through it. There was a beep and Hermione looked at what she had on.  
  
She took off her watch and walked through again. Beep. Keys. Walk. Beep. Belt. Walk. Beep. Hair clip. Walk. Beep. Ring. Walk. Beep.  
  
"Urgh!!!!!" She moaned. She looked at what all she had on and didn't see anything else that would be offending. The person behind the counter took out the hand held metal detector and ran it down her sides. It beeped at her bag she was carrying. She looked at the person and opened her bag. Nothing seemed to look like it would set off the alarm.  
  
They sent it through the scanner and it turned out that her wand was setting off the alarm. She put it in the tray and walked through. Nothing. Finally. She gathered everything she had and walked to her parents.  
  
They all ran to their terminal and got there just in time for them to board.  
  
"Finally. We made it." Hermione said as she sat down in her seat, which was a window seat. There wasn't much to see, though, since it was 5:00 a.m. Just a few lights here and there.  
  
"Please fasten your seatbelts, have your tray tables up, and your seat in the upright position. We will be taking off within 10 minutes. Thank you." The flight attendant's voice called over the p.a. system.  
  
Hermione got out a pack of gum and sat up straight. She had only been on a plane once before, and that was when she was 5, and visiting her aunt (ironically enough) in Montana. She popped a piece of gum into her mouth and started chewing. Her mom told her that your ears popped when you were in takeoff on a plane, so she decided to chew gum.  
  
She started to feel the plane moving and she turned to see her dad's back straight in the chair and grinding his teeth.  
  
"Dad. It's not like Aunt Cheryl hates you or anything. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you. To see us. I mean, come on. Don't you miss her just a little bit?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It's not your Aunt that's bothering me. I...Hate...Planes..." He said through gritted teeth as the plane took off.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Five hours later in Salt Lake City, Hermione and her mom and dad got off the plane and went to go find a restaurant. They decided to not eat any airline food, so they went to the American Bandstand Restaurant. They all ordered French toast and they ate it quickly.  
  
Hermione asked if she could go look around for a half hour and meet them in the terminal. Her parents agreed, as long as she had a map of the airport, which she did.  
  
She was walking around and came to a souvenir shop. She stepped inside and looked around. She was looking at a bunch of key chains when she saw the same flash of blonde hair that she had seen at London International Airport. She looked at who it was, but their back was turned, so she decided that it didn't really matter and left the shop.  
  
She walked around for another ten minutes when she decided to walk around the area of her terminal. She got there right as her parents were. They asked her where she had gone and if she bought anything, but before she could answer, there was an announcement over the p.a. system that their flight was boarding. So they got in line to board.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Two hours later in Logan International Airport, they boarded to find Aunt Cheryl waiting for them.  
  
"Dave! You're here! I didn't think you'd come! And Marilyn! How are you? Hermione? Is that you? Is that the little five year old I saw chasing butterflies at home? Come 'ere you!" Aunt Cheryl said, giving them each a hug.  
  
"Well, Cheryl, it's so nice to see you! How's the mountain? Is the snow good? Are you getting good business?" Marilyn asked.  
  
"Oh, it's wonderful this season! Almost all of the runs are open and Red Lodge has the best snow this year. We've even opened up Palisades! It hasn't been open for years! And business is wonderful!" Cheryl then started leading them down the stairs and took them to the baggage return.  
  
Hermione looked at this airport and decided it was, by far, the smallest she had been in all trip. There were kites hanging from the ceiling and wasn't very crowded compared to the other airports. She walked out the doors, and decided that she liked little towns. Because it wasn't so busy. Aunt Cheryl led them to her cart and they all put their baggage in her trunk. They hopped into the car and Aunt Cheryl drove off down the road.  
  
"Red Lodge, here we come!" 


	3. Home, Sweet Home?

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I wouldn't be writing a fanfiction, now would I? That's right. I'm a FAN. And I'm writing a FICTION. Get it? Got it? Good.  
  
Melanie: Thanks for the Review, but how do I make it so that people can sign anonymously? Like I said, I'm really new at this. Help me! And what do you mean by Billings is so purdy?  
  
A/N: This will be the chapter when she sees the resort and makes herself at home with her Aunt and meets a the other owner of the resort, who just so happens to be a witch...  
  
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The Ski Trip  
  
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Chapter Three  
  
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Home, Sweet Home  
  
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An hour later, they stopped at a house that looked rather...eccentric. At first sight it reminded Hermione of Spaceship Earth. But then she saw the windows. There were so many windows and they were all different geometric shapes. (A/N: This house DOES exist.)  
  
"This is your house?" Hermione asked in disbelief.  
  
"I share it with my best friend, Bethany. She is a co-owner of Red Lodge Ski Resort. Actually, she has a nephew coming to visit over the holidays. He should be arriving today. Why don't you come inside?" And with that Aunt Cheryl led them inside.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Hermione's P.O.V.)  
  
I stepped into the house and stood in awe. It was so...cozy would explain it well. There was a den in the first room that had a nice fireplace and nice leather couches. There were paintings here and there and it almost reminded me of the Gryffindor Common Room, only instead of crimson and gold colors, it was a dark brown and a deep green.  
  
"Well," Aunt Cheryl said with a sigh, "make yourselves at home. Bethany said that I wouldn't have to come back to work today, and that she would take care of it. So I'll show you to your rooms. Follow me, please." And with that, we all followed Aunt Cheryl up the spiral staircase (Yet again reminding me of the Gryffindor Common Room.).  
  
We walked up the staircase and were met with a long hallway. There were ten doors down the hall and she took me to the one at the end of the hall. She opened the door and led me in.  
  
"There's a bathroom through this door and if you go out your door and open the door at the end of the hall there'll be a balcony. You're free to go out there at any time. Well, make yourself at home!" and then she left. So I did the only thing I could think of doing at the moment: unpacked.  
  
The room had a royal blue theme. The bed was a twin bed and was in the middle of the room with the headboard pushed up against the wall. There was a dresser made of a dark colored wood and had silver handles on the doors. The walls and rug on the floor were the same royal blue as the bedspread. The hardwood floors and the headboard were the same dark wood as the dresser. I had to admit, it was a beautiful room. There was a triangle window right next to the bed and I could see the mountain perfectly.  
  
"Wow." Was all I could manage to get out before I dropped my two suitcases on the bed and opened them. I put my books in the bottom dresser drawer and my clothes in the top ones. I finished in a half hour.  
  
Then, I heard a person walking down the hall. I shrugged and figured that it would probably be my mom coming to see my new 'room.' So I lay down on my bed and stared out the window. I heard a polite knock on the door and I answered it. "Come in."  
  
The door opened slowly and I looked at who it was. My eyes widened with shock and so did his. He just stood there and I just looked at him. Let's put it this way: We were really, really, REALLY, surprised.  
  
(A/N: I kinda want to end it here, but I'm really getting into this. So I'll continue.)  
  
"Granger?" Draco Malfoy asked.  
  
"The one and only, Malfoy." I answered.  
  
"YOU'RE Cheryl's niece?"  
  
"Ya. You got a problem with that?" I asked, glaring at him while I sat up.  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Well...I can' t believe Cheryl never mentioned your last name! I never thought that you'd be...her...urgh!!!"  
  
"Calm down! It's not like we'll be sleeping in the same room! Hey...wait...How come your aunt works at a muggle ski resort?"  
  
"Because she's my mother's sister. Not my father's." He answered nonchalantly.  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning she isn't inferior to muggles. She turned her back on most of the magical world when she graduated from Hogwarts. Now the only thing magical that she owns is her wand, which created this house. With the help of your aunt."  
  
"What do you mean my aunt?" I asked, still glaring at him.  
  
He laughed! The little jerk laughed! "You don't know? You really don't know? Oh, this is priceless. I never thought I'd see that day when Hermione Granger didn't know something. Ha!"  
  
Glare.  
  
"Do you wanna know? Do you really wanna know?"  
  
Glare.  
  
"I guess I should tell you. I mean, you'd probably die of curiosity." With that he walked over to me and whispered to her in a husky voice, his lips almost touching my ear, "Your Aunt's a witch." And with that, he left.  
  
I shivered. Where did that come from? One minute we're glaring each other down and then the next he's practically putting a move on me. I don't get him. And frankly, I don't want to.  
  
And then I went down to read a book by the fire.  
  
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A/N: You like? Please R&R. It'd do me wonders. And Mel? Please, please, please, please, please review me to tell me how to let anonymous people review.  
  
~*Detri*~ 


	4. Aunt Bethany

Disclaimer: Look, I don't own Harry Potter or any of his acquaintances. 'Cause if I did, this wouldn't be a fanfic...It'd be just a fic...  
  
A/N: Whaddya think so far? This'll be the chapter where they hang out the rest of the night and try to tolerate each other.  
  
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The Ski Trip  
  
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Chapter Four  
  
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Aunt Bethany  
  
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Hermione grabbed her book and walked out of her room. She went down the stairs and walked into the den and saw that Draco was sitting reading some book. Hermione looked at him and then took the seat right next to the fire.  
  
He looked up as she walked right past him. She ignored him and got out her discman and popped in her STYX c.d. She turned it up as far as it could go and opened her book.  
  
She started reading but soon stopped. She felt like she was being watched.  
  
She looked up and her eyes met with his.  
  
"Whatcha listenin' to?" He asked her. She couldn't hear him. She had her headphones on all the way so that she wouldn't be disturbed. But she did see his lips moving, so she took off her headphones.  
  
"Excuse me?" She asked, a little perturbed that he had disturbed her reading.  
  
"What are you listening to?" He asked again, a little perturbed himself.  
  
"STYX." She said simply. Then she turned back to the fire and looked at it for a while. "So my aunt's a witch, right?"  
  
He didn't answer. He just looked at her. He didn't need to answer that. She already knew. She wasn't expecting an answer, nor was he going to give her one. And they just sat there like that, Hermione staring into the fire and Draco looking at Hermione. She didn't know why, but she didn't mind him looking at her.  
  
After a few moments of silence, she couldn't take the endless quiet, so she put her headphones back on; but she didn't turn back to her book. She looked back a Draco.  
  
"Look, if we're going to survive the three weeks we're going to be here, we have to make a truce. Ok?" She asked him. She got up and walked over to him and stuck out her hand for him to shake.  
  
He looked at her with a raised eyebrow until her finally placed his hand in hers. Then he said, "What am I agreeing to? That I won't call you a mudblood and you won't call me a ferret?"  
  
"No." She said. "No incessant insults in any way, shape, or form, Ok?"  
  
"Urgh. You drive a hard bargain. But you won't be able you call me a ferret, so I might as well agree to it. Deal."  
  
And they shook on it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The rest of the afternoon Hermione did her homework in the den in 'her chair' in front of the fire and Draco read.  
  
"Hellooooo!" came a voice from the door. Hermione, startled, looked up to see who was there. A woman was standing in the doorway and she was hugging Draco at the moment.  
  
"Draco, honey! I havn't seen you for seven years! How's Hogwarts? Is Dumbledore still there? And who might this young lady be? Is this my dear friend's niece?" The kind looking woman asked, turning to Hermione.  
  
The woman had shoulder-length blonde hair that was in soft curls. She had the most beautiful silver eyes Hermione had seen and a aura of happiness seemed to be around her. Even Draco was smiling.  
  
"Um...Hi. I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said, stepping up to her.  
  
"Well, aren't you a beauty. I knew Cheryl said that you were beautiful, but pictures don't do you justice. And you're a witch, I see. Do you go to Hogwarts also? What year are you in? What house are you in?" She asked all of this very eagerly.  
  
"Um...Ya, I go to Hogwarts. I'm a 6th year Gryffindor." Hermione expected to get a look of disgust her way, but she got a look of pure delight from the woman who she now knew as Bethany.  
  
"Really? You are a Gryffindor? iIi was a Gryffindor. And, my, you're a 6th year! So's Draco! Do you two know each other?" She asked, looking a Draco meaningfully.  
  
(Draco's P.O.V.)  
  
Man, she's giving me that look again. The one that means, 'Are you nice to her?' and, 'Do you like her?' all at once. Grr. I ihatei it when she does that!  
  
(Hermione's P.O.V.)  
  
"Um...Ya. I know Draco. Actually, we're pretty good friends. Right Draco?" I asked him also looking at him meaningfully.  
  
He looked at me puzzled, but then he seemed to notice that Bethany was waiting for an answer still so he answer the first thing that came to his head, "Ya. That's right. Well, I'm going to go up to my room. You know, the last one on the end on the left? Well, I'll see you ialli at dinner." He said, looking at Hermione when he said all.  
  
"Ok. I'll call you when dinner is ready." Bethany said.  
  
"Ya. I think I'm going to take my homework up to my room. I'll see you at dinner too, alright?" I said, gathering up my books.  
  
"Alright, dear. I'll see to then." Said Bethany, turning and walking to the kitchen.  
  
And so Hermione walked up to her room and dumped her homework on the floor.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She walked to the room where Draco had so specifically described and knocked.  
  
"Come in." Was the simple answer. So I did. His room was gorgeous. I love the colors green and silver, even though they are affiliated with Slytherin. They are my two favorite colors, and his room was styled with these colors. I was so jealous.  
  
"You wanted to see me?" I asked innocently.  
  
"No, I wanted to tell my aunt where my room was. Of coarse I wanted to see you! What were you doing down there?!? We're not friends! The only reason that we're not throwing insults at each other is because we made a truce! I can't believe you would say that!" He burst out.  
  
I cleared my throat. "Are you done yet?" I asked, irritated.  
  
"Yes." He said, taking a deep breath.  
  
"Ok. Now will you let me explain myself?" I asked again, sitting down in his desk chair, my legs straddling the back of the chair.  
  
"Yes." He said, crossing his arms and making himself look very childish.  
  
"Ok. Our aunts are best friends, correct?"  
  
Nod.  
  
"They live in the same house and work at the same business, correct?"  
  
Nod.  
  
"Well, don't you think that they'd feel different if they had a niece and nephew who were enemies while at school?"  
  
Nod again.  
  
"So I told her that we're friends because then she won't feel different around Aunt Cheryl. And we're trying to be civil to each other anyway. So we might as well pretend to be friends when they're around. The only thing difficult is that we're probably not going to get any alone time here unless it's when we're skiing. So do you understand?"  
  
Nod.  
  
"Ok. So I'm going to go and finish my potions essay. I'll see you at dinner?"  
  
Nod.  
  
And I left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
At dinner I sat next to Draco just because I had to put on the act. I listened to the conversations around me and ate my food slowly. I was thinking about a question that Snape had given us for an essay question. Urgh. Ii hatei Snape. Then I felt a poke on my elbow. I jumped and looked at Draco, who was looking at me, smiling. Not an evil mile. Not a smirk. A smile.  
  
"What's so funny?" I asked him, not worrying about anyone hearing us. After all, we were supposed to be friends.  
  
"You had a funny look on your face. What were you thinking about?" He asked, still smiling.  
  
"I was dwelling on the fact that I hate Snape. Any other questions?" She asked sweetly.  
  
"Nope."  
  
And we both turned back to our food.  
  
"Hermione? Draco? What do you two think about going skiing tomorrow?" Aunt Cheryl asked.  
  
I brightened up at this thought. I absolutely love skiing. I don't even need to consider getting up at a certain time or any of that! I get to go skiing again!  
  
"Yes!" I answer automatically.  
  
Draco seems to take a longer amount of time before saying yes. I look at him, puzzled, but dismiss it by the look he gave me that said he was just tired.  
  
"Ok. It's settled then. We need to be ready to leave by 7:30. That'll give you guys an hour to get your rentals and you can have breakfast up there. Ok?"  
  
"Ya." I answer, and start eating again. I'm going to take a shower before bed and then go to sleep. It is, after all, 8:30 already.  
  
I finish eating and get up and leave the table. I put my dishes in the dishwasher and I walk up the stairs. I take a 15-minute shower and come out in my pj's to find Draco sitting on my bed.  
  
"What the heck are you doing here?" I ask, startled.  
  
"I was wondering if you've ever skied?" He asked sincerely.  
  
"Well, ya. I've known since I was four years old. Why?" I ask, putting my clothes in the hamper.  
  
"Idon'tknowhowtoski." He mumbled.  
  
"You're kidding me, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You don't know how to ski when your own aunt iownsi a ski resort?" I ask in disbelief.  
  
"Could you rub it in just a little bit more?" He asked, annoyed.  
  
"Ya, I could. But I don't have enough energy to. I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." I said, walking over to my bed.  
  
"Wait. Could you teach me to ski?" He asked as I pushed him out the door.  
  
I sighed. Sure. Now he's begging. I ihatei it when people beg to get what they want.  
  
"iFine.i Just ilet me sleepi." I said, leaning on the doorframe.  
  
"Ok. Goodnight Hermione."  
  
"'Night Draco."  
  
iDid he just say my first name? Did I just say his first name? What has gotten into me?i I thought to myself as I got into bed. But I didn't get to think about it for very long, because I fell asleep. 


	5. Too Much Time on My Hands

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter and all of his cronies, but I don't. And I don't own too much time on my hands either. STYX does, though. *Sob*  
  
A/N: Wow! I have reviews! Nifty Tifty! Ok.  
  
Lady Malfoy: I LIVE in Billings. Doncha love it here? I do. And I LOVE skiing. I do like Horseback riding, but I have only gone once in my life, so I don't know much about it. Are you looking at MSU Billings for a college? 'Cause if you aren't, I don't know what college you're looking at (lol).  
  
Juli-lilly: I intend to continue!  
  
Ash: I'll try to post more often.   
  
Basketball-brat25: I will.  
  
Ok. That's it. Now for the story! We'll get to see just HOW bad Draco Dahling is...(lol)  
  
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The Ski Trip  
  
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Chapter Five  
  
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Too Much Time on my Hands  
  
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"This is Captain Mike and here is your Red Lodge Mountain report." Hermione's radio alarm went off at 6:30. "It looks like a perfect day on the mountain today. We're expecting to be able to open up Palisades and Upper Continental by the end of this week. The temperature today is expected to be 20 degrees. We hope to see you on the mountain!"  
  
"Urgh. Why did I set that damn alarm? Wait...SKIING!!!" And with that, Hermione jumped out of bed and laid out her ski equipment that consisted of ski pants, snow pants, a ski jacket, a headband, gloves, a turtleneck, a sweatshirt, wool socks, and regular tennis shoes. She quickly dressed in the turtleneck, sweatshirt, jeans, socks, and shoes and went downstairs for breakfast.  
  
She walked down the stairs and saw that Aunt Cheryl was already up and reading the newspaper, her half eaten toast on a plate that was sitting on the paper.  
  
"Morning glory, Aunt Cheryl!" Hermione said cheerfully. "What is there to eat for breakfast around here?"  
  
"Oh! Good morning, sweetie. The oatmeal, cream of the west, and breakfast cereal is in the pantry. Have some fruit! There are some apples and bananas on the counter." Aunt Cheryl said, looking up from her paper and referring to her name that Aunt Cheryl always used to call her.  
  
Hermione grabbed some cheerios and a banana, a bowl, a spoon, a knife, a glass, and the, milk. She poured the milk over the cereal and cut the bananas on top of it.  
  
"Um...Aunt Cheryl? I have a question for you..." Hermione said quietly.  
  
"Ask away, sweetie." Aunt Cheryl said, looking up from her newspaper again.  
  
"Um...Are you a...a witch?" Hermione asked tentatively.  
  
"Oh. Well. Sweetie. Um. Yes, I am." Cheryl said, looking rather uncomfortable.  
  
Hermione's eyes widened. "You...you are? Then that means...I'm not entirely muggle born."  
  
"Well, your deceased grandmother, Melody, was a pureblooded witch. She married your grandfather, George, and they had your father and I. Your father Apparently didn't have any magical blood in him, so he stayed a muggle. The Melody died and George re-married. So we grew up around muggles. Father didn't tell us our mother was a witch. Your father was jealous when, on our birthday, (A/N: They are twins) I received a letter and he didn't. So, no. You aren't a muggle born. You're Quarter blooded, I do believe (lol)."  
  
"Whoa. So...Dad's a squib?"  
  
"Well-" But she was cut off by someone.  
  
"Yes. I'm a squib. Are you happy? Now you know. And it's all Mother's fault. If she had been normal, then we wouldn't have two witches in the family."  
  
"Two? We have two? Sweetie? You're a witch?" Cheryl said, looking at Hermione with a delight in her eyes that was true.  
  
"Yes..." Hermione said in a small voice. Her own father was unnerving her.  
  
"Oh! Sweetie! I would have told you sooner if I knew you were a witch! Oh, Hermione, do you go to Hogwarts? What house are you in? What year are you in? Is Dumbledore still there?" Hermione was seriously experiencing déjà vu here. Bethany had asked almost the exact same questions as Cheryl was now.  
  
"Yes, I go to Hogwarts. I'm a Gryffindor 6th year. Yes, Dumbledore is still there." Hermione answered. Then she asked, "What house were you in?"  
  
"I was a Revenclaw. But I wanted to be in Gryffindor. I did like my house, but I was too wild for many of them. I didn't like studying, and all of my friends in my house did. So I made friends with Bethany-" But she was again cut off.  
  
"You told me that you met her when you moved here! So she's a witch too?!? Great. I'm living in a witch's house! Just peachy. Why couldn't you be normal? Why?"  
  
"Davie. Calm down. We both left the wizarding world. The only things that we own from the wizarding world now are our wands and our owls. And we just keep the owls because they are living, breathing animals! So we are as normal as you are. So just calm down." Cheryl said, a little annoyed.  
  
"Ok... I'm going to get ready to go now...I'll just out my bowl in the sink and go up to my room. Um...I'll see you in," Hermione checked her watch, "15 minutes. Ok?" But she didn't wait for an answer. She fled the room before she had to hear any more arguing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione walked up to Draco's room and knocked. There wasn't an answer, so she walked in.  
  
"Draco? What are you still doing in bed? You only have twenty minutes to get ready." She said to the figure still asleep in his bed. She turned on the overhead light and walked up to his bed.  
  
"I sure hope you're decent." She told him. Then she pulled his covers completely off his bed. He was just wearing his boxers. He still didn't move.  
  
"Fine. If you want me to play rough." She then walked up to him and leant her head near his ear. "GET UP NOW YOU LAZY ASS!!!" She screamed in his ear.  
  
"Huh? What? What the heck is going on?" He shot up and started muttering incoherently.  
  
"You only have 20 minutes to get ready, so you might want to change and get something to eat." Hermione said, and then left the room.  
  
(Draco's P.O.V.)  
  
"O...k..." was all that I could say. Hermione had come in. Woken him up. Tore his covers off his bed. Screamed in his ear that he was a lazy ass. Saw him in his boxers. Whoa. And all that supposedly happened within two minutes.  
  
I got up and walked over to the shower and took a quick five-minute shower, not even conscious of what temperature it was. I stepped out and dressed in a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, ski pants, and snow pants, both Bethany had leant me. I grabbed my coat that I owned and my headband. I put on my shoes and looked at my watch. Five minutes.  
  
I bolted down the stairs and asked Bethany, "Can I borrow some gloves?" Which she agreed to. I grabbed a pair of gloves and an apple. I washed the apple and told Bethany I'd eat on the way.  
  
"OK!!! Let's go!!!!" Bethany yelled. Hermione came bolting down the stairs followed by Cheryl. Speed must run in the family.  
  
Hermione grabbed an apple and washed it. "Ready whenever you are."  
  
We all piled into the suburban and Cheryl loaded her skis onto the ski rack on top of the car and jumped I the passenger seat.  
  
"Get comfy, we're going to be driving for half an hour." Cheryl said, buckling her seatbelt.  
  
"Aunt Cheryl? Why are you brining your skis?" Hermione asked, handing her her STYX c.d.  
  
"I'm teaching lessons today. Do you want to have a lesson?"  
  
"Um...I think I can remember from when I was here last. I can remember snow plowing. And turning. And stopping. I think I'll be fine." She said calmly.  
  
"How about you Draco?" Bethany asked.  
  
"Um..." I looked at Hermione pleadingly.  
  
"I'll teach him. It'll help me remember." Hermione volunteered.  
  
I mouthed a 'thank you' and turned to what the c.d. was playing.  
  
"Turn it to number four. That's my favorite song."  
  
~(Synthesizer plays)~  
  
~Ya I'm sittin' on this box~  
  
~To talk like a Damned~  
  
~Got the 12:00 news blues.~  
  
~And I've given up hope~  
  
~on the afternoon soaps and a bottle of cold brew.~  
  
~Is it any wonder I'm not crazy?~  
  
~Is it any wonder I'm sane at all?~  
  
~Well I'm so tired of losing~  
  
~I've got nothing to do~  
  
~And all day to do it.~  
  
~Well I go out crusin' ~  
  
~But I've not place to go~  
  
~And all night to get there.~  
  
~Is it any wonder I'm not a criminal?~  
  
~Is it any wonder I'm not in jail?~  
  
~Is it any wonder I've got ~  
  
~Too much time on my hands~  
  
~It's tickin away with my sanity~  
  
~I've got too much time on my hands~  
  
~It's hard to believe ~  
  
~Such a calamity~  
  
~I've got too much time on my hands~  
  
~And it's tickin' away~  
  
~Tickin' away from me.~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~It's ti- ti- ti- ti-tickin' away~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~And I don't know what to do with myself~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~(Guitar plays)~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~(Too much time on my ha-ands)~  
  
~(Synthesizer plays)~  
  
~Now I'm a genius~  
  
~I can solve the world's problems~  
  
~Without even trying~  
  
~I've have dozens of friends~  
  
~And the fun never ends~  
  
~That is as long as I'm buying~  
  
~Is it any wonder I'm not the president?~  
  
~Is it any wonder I'm not employed?~  
  
~Is it any wonder I've got~  
  
~Too much time on my hands?~  
  
~It's tickin' away with my sanity~  
  
~I've got too much~  
  
~Time in on my hands~  
  
~It's hard to believe~  
  
~Such a calamity~  
  
~I've got too much time on my hands~  
  
~And it's tickin' away~  
  
~Tickin away from me~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~It's ti- ti- ti- ti-tickin' away~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~And I don't know what to do with myself~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~Mmmmmmm~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~ It's ti- ti- ti- ti-tickin' away~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~Mmmmmhmmmm~  
  
~(Too much time on my hands)~  
  
~(Too much time on my)~  
  
~(Sound of alarm clock)~  
  
"What do you think?" Hermione asked, breaking me away from my thoughts.  
  
"It's good. Is this what you were listening to in the den?" I asked, curious.  
  
"Yup. It's STYX. They're my favorite band. Actually, four isn't my favorite song, twelve is. But I wanted to listen to something that'll wake me up instead of put me to sleep. My favorite song is really slow and calming, I listen to it at night. So I want to put on a different song. One that'll wake everyone up."  
  
"Oh." Was all that I could say. It didn't really wake me up, but I wasn't on the verge of falling asleep either.  
  
Hermione took a bite of her apple. That reminded me. I have an apple. And I'm hungry. So I'll eat it. It makes sense to me. (lol) So I eat the whole apple. It was good. I really like apples. And oranges. And pears. And plums. And strawberries. And almost every kind of fruit that exists. Except star fruit. I absolutely hate star fruit. I'll eat grapefruit, pomegranate, blackberries, pineapple, mangos, and even bananas (Which make me nauseous) before I eat star fruit.  
  
Well, Hermione's still eating her apple slowly and looking out the window, humming the tunes to the songs. I can't help but notice that she's rather pretty when she's staring off into space listening to her favorite music. It's almost like she's one with the music.  
  
Then I turn away. What am I thinking?!? I'm thinking about Hermione Granger in a civil way! Urgh! What is she doing to me?!? Urgh! Think about something else. Skiing. Maybe I won't be so bad at it. Hermione will teach me-urgh! Here we go again.  
  
"Draco!" Someone calls to me.  
  
"What? What happened? What?" I answer quickly, looking around at what I missed while I was off in Lala Land.  
  
"We're here." She answered simply, and stepped outside. She put on her ski jacket and grabbed her gloves and headband. I just sit there.  
  
"Are you coming or not?" She asks impatiently.  
  
"Huh? Oh. Right." I'm totally out of it today.  
  
I get out of the car and follow Hermione, Cheryl, and Aunt Bethany. I already feel like I'm out of place.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ok. Here are your lift tickets. They will let you go on Miami Beach and up to the midway lodge. Go On Miami Beach first. That's the easiest run on the mountain. It's not very steep and it is nice and wide. Ok? Go right over there to get your rentals and your ticket. Tell them your names when they give you your lift tickets and that you're related to Cheryl and Bethany and they'll give us the bill. Ok? And meet us at the lodge at 4:00 today when the lifts close. Here's $20.00 for snacks and lunch. I'll see you later!" Bethany said, going over to the lodge and going inside. She had indicated where everything was, so they went to go get their equipment.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What size shoe do you wear?" Hermione asked Draco, filling out my form for skis.  
  
"Nine." I answered. This was getting boring.  
  
"How tall are you?"  
  
"Six foot."  
  
"And have you ever been skiing before?"  
  
"I told you. No." I answered, getting rather annoyed with this.  
  
"Ok. Now let me do mine and then we'll pay for our rentals." Hermione filled out her form quickly and walked up to the counter, Draco trailing behind her.  
  
"Ok. Here are our forms." Hermione said, handing the woman our forms.  
  
"Ok. That'll be $40.00. Anything else for you?"  
  
"Well, we're here with Cheryl and Bethany. They're our aunts. They told us to have you bill them for the money." Hermione said.  
  
"Ok. I'll have to call Bethany to check with that." The woman said.  
  
She picked up the telephone and dialed a number. "Hello? Beth? I have two kids here who say that they're related to you and Cherrie." Pause. "Ok. Thanks. I'll talk to you later." And she hung up.  
  
"Ok. You're good to go." She said, handing them their Lift tickets and their forms.  
  
We walked over to the counter for boots. Hermione again handed him our forms.  
  
"Ok." Said the guy. He couldn't be older than 18 years old. He was looking at Hermione and smiling. "I'll give the big guy over there these," he said, handing him some boots. "And this beautiful thing here, these." He said, handing her some boots.  
  
Hermione put them on easily, but I had a little more trouble. They had too many latches and straps! It was confusing! Hermione had to come over and help me in the end. She helped me up and I almost fell over. Those boots are messed up.  
  
We moved on to the next area where we got out skis. They told me something along the lines of getting me some 190's. Whatever the heck that meant. They handed me the skis after they messed with them for a little while. Hermione was talking to the girl who was fixing her skis.  
  
"Ya. I havn't been skiing since I was eight. I think I'll be the wipe-out queen of the mountain today." Hermione laughed. It was a beautiful laugh. The other girl laughed with her. She was a blonde with gray eyes. She looked like she was having trouble with the skis; they wouldn't open for her.  
  
"Urgh! These skis are so frustrating!" The girl said, annoyed whit them.  
  
"Here, Lucy, let me try. I was taught how to fix skis when I watched my aunt do it so many times when I was last here." Hermione said, holding out her hand for the screwdriver.  
  
"Alright. But don't break them." Lucy reluctantly agreed.  
  
Hermione promptly had the skis ready. She handed the screwdriver back to The girl who I now knew as Lucy and said, "Just push a little bit harder the next time." She said. "I'll see you later."  
  
"What was that?" I asked.  
  
"What was what?" She asked, curious.  
  
"You knowing how to prepare the skis." I replied as if she should have known what I was talking about.  
  
"Oh. Like I said. Cheryl taught me how to prepare skis on her own skis. I sat there and watched her do it for a whole hour straight."  
  
"Oh. Ok."  
  
"Well, we still have a half hour until the lifts open. We might as well go and sit in the lodge for a while." Hermione said, walking to the back of the lodge. But she walked right past it.  
  
"Hey! Where are you going?" I called to her.  
  
"To put my skis on the rack. You can't bring them inside." And she put them on the rack. I tried to follow her, but it was slow moving. How can she walk in these?  
  
I put my skis away and we walked into the lodge.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"That'll be two dollars." The woman said. Hermione handed her the money, which I still couldn't see how it could be valuable, and took the two ciders and two oranges over to a table.  
  
We sat there in silence when Hermione said, "Oh! I forgot gum. I'll be right back." And she left me alone to look out the window. She came back a few minutes later with a pack of gum in her hand.  
  
She finished her cider and stood up.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
I took my last sip. Damn, that stuff was good. "Ya." And I stood up.  
  
We put our coats, headbands, and gloves on and threw away our garbage. We walked out the door.  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
I grabbed my skis and walked up to the top of the hill. I dropped my skis and snapped them into place. Draco tried to follow suit, but he was new at this. So I told him, "Drop them so that the bindings are on top. Good. Now put your toe in first, ya, like that, and the snap down your heel. Good. Now the other foot. Ok. We're ready. Now shuffle your feet forward like this. No-"  
  
He fell over.  
  
He got up and tried again.  
  
He fell over again.  
  
"Here." I said. I helped him up. "Don't pick up your feet. Just move them forward. Good. Ok. Now move in that area." And we were off. We made it to the ticket eater (You know. The things that take your tickets and then let you by so that you're able to get on the lift.) And we got through that without any trouble. We walked over to the lift and I had him on the right side. He needed the assistant's help because he hadn't been on the lifts before. The chair came around and we sat down. We were on our way up the mountain.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Well, I didn't really get as far as I wanted to, but it's a nice long chapter for you. The next chapter will be about the blooper on the mountain. Ok? R&R!  
  
~*Detri*~ 


	6. A Long, Long Day

Disclaimer: I really, really, really, really, really wish I owned Harry Potter and Co. I really do. But I don't. Ok? Ok! Now, on with the story.  
  
Ok. I really want to apologize for taking so long to write, but I've had a lot of projects to do lately and the middle school music festival is coming up. Let's just put it this way: I've been pretty damn stressed lately. Ok? Ok! NOW, on with the story.  
  
***************************  
  
The Ski Trip  
  
***************************  
  
Chapter Six  
  
***************************  
  
A Long, Long Day  
  
***************************  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
'We're off! Finally! So...I wonder if I will be very good after spending a few years away from the mountain...' I thought to myself.  
  
"So...Are we just supposed to jump from here?" Draco asked me, eyeing down at the fifty-foot difference between the ground and us.  
  
I laughed.  
  
"Are you insane?" I got out through my giggles. "We could kill ourselves doing that!"  
  
"We could?!?!" He asked, now with his back firmly placed against the seat.  
  
"Yes. We could." I said simply.  
  
"Oh. Well. How DO we get off, then?"  
  
"After about ten minutes there will be a sign on one of these posts saying that we should get our ski tips up...like this." I said, demonstrating with my skis.  
  
He copied me, but never took his hands off of the armrest.  
  
"You know, you aren't going to fall if you just sit here. It's not like you're sitting on a tree branch. You don't have to hold on for dear life." I said simply.  
  
He looked cautiously at me, as if he were checking for any possibility of me trying to kill him.  
  
"What?" I asked, exasperated.  
  
"Nothing." He said. But I apparently convinced him that it was fairly safe, though he was still a little jumpy.  
  
"So when the sign comes up we just point our ski tips up? That's it?" He asked, looking at me suspiciously.  
  
"No. You'll see a little building with a little snow covered thing in front of it tilting up. Your ski tips will go up right next to that. You should then set your skis on the flat surface under you, like you were sitting in a chair. Then when you're right on the edge, you stand up. Ok?" I said in a way that I thought was simple.  
  
"Riiiiiight..." Was all that I heard.  
  
We sat there for a little while just looking around. Then I saw an opening in the trees.  
  
"There's the run! Wow. Looks smaller." I just started talking to myself about how many times I bombed this run when I saw the sign.  
  
"Ok. Just wait a little longer until you're a few yards away from it...now put your tips up. Ok. Not when I say now, stand up. Ok? Ok. NOW!" And I stood up.  
  
I could feel the cool air on my face for a minute, but then it was gone. It wasn't a very big drop. I turned to my side expecting Draco to be right next to me. But he wasn't there. I looked around for him, but he wasn't among the people standing around preparing to ski or snowboard.  
  
Then I saw him. He was still in the seat. The lift operator had stopped the lift. He helped Draco off of the seat and led him to the drop. Draco skied down and looked like he knew what he was doing. Then...  
  
Splat.  
  
Ouch.  
  
That had to hurt.  
  
I skied over to him and helped him up.  
  
"Well, think if it this way: you wiped out getting off of the run, so now you shouldn't wipe out when you actually get on the run! Ok?" I said, smiling a little.  
  
"Ya. Sure. Like that'll happen." He said grudgingly.  
  
"Hey, no one's perfect!" Said to him.  
  
"Ok. Enough arguing. Put your skis like this." And I proceeded to teach him how to stand up on his own.  
  
"Ok. Now, arrange your feet like a piece of pizza. Good. Now put pressure on your left foot. Ok. You're kinda moving left..." I continued to explain how to snow plough. I told him to take big turns and to stay away from pedestrians. He made it about half way down the run before wiping out. He was now lying with the bottom of his feet facing outward. (A/N: I know that's just a teensy bit painful.)  
  
I helped him up and told him to go again.  
  
When he made it to Ladies Aide, I shouted to him, "That's right! Good Job Dr-"  
  
Splat.  
  
Ouch.  
  
Did I bomb the run this bad when I started?  
  
I sure hope not.  
  
That looked painful.  
  
I skied toward him. I stopped in front of him.  
  
Where's a camera when you need it?  
  
"This is classic. The day Draco Malfoy isn't good at something. I'm sure Ron would bet his whole Cannons collection for a picture of you looking like this. Pure pleasure I'd give him. Be glad that I don't have a camera with me." I said, laughing.  
  
"Oh, believe me, I am." He said curtly, getting up.  
  
He fell over again.  
  
Ha.  
  
Ha ha.  
  
What I'd give for a camera.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Well, did you guys have fun?" Bethany asked.  
  
"I had an awesome time and only wiped out twice, but Draco Dahling here, well, let's put it this way: I really, really, really, really, really wish I had a camera." I said, taking off my headband to see my hair in a worse state than when my hair was bushy.  
  
I started to comb my hair with my fingers when I heard Draco say, "Hey, could you put in that C.D. again?"  
  
Malfoy? Likes STYX? A muggle band?  
  
"Sure." Bethany said without a second thought. I guess she liked them too.  
  
I hear the songs play and I start mouthing the words. I look at Aunt Cheryl and see that she's doing the same thing. I shake my head and smile, not breaking my steady stream of mouthed words.  
  
I look at Draco, who was looking at me, smiling. Not smirking. Not scowling. Not staring. Smiling.  
  
Whoa.  
  
What's up with him?  
  
He looked at me for a little while longer. This is kinda creepy...  
  
Oh. We're home.  
  
I'm getting out of the car. He gets out of the car. He grabs his stuff and walks into the house. He didn't look back. Good. He's acting normal again. Wait. The normal that I know is him insulting me. He's not acting normal.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Dinner!" Aunt Cheryl calls from the kitchen downstairs.  
  
I hear my stomach grumble.  
  
I havn't eaten since this morning.  
  
I got up and ran to the kitchen. On the way out the door I run into non other than Malfoy himself.  
  
I ran headlong into his chest.  
  
I could feel his arms help me steady myself. My skin tingled where he touched my arms. And as soon as it started-  
  
It ended.  
  
He walked away.  
  
I stood there staring at his back.  
  
I shivered.  
  
And I followed him down to the kitchen.  
  
I sat down at the table.  
  
Guess who I was sitting next to.  
  
Just guess.  
  
Malfoy.  
  
Peachy.  
  
Just peachy.  
  
I looked out the window at the house next door. It looks familiar...  
  
Abi!  
  
"Aunt Cheryl?" I asked anxiously.  
  
"Yes Hermione?"  
  
"Does Anna-Bliss still live down the street?"  
  
"Oh! Yes! I forgot you two were friends! That's why the house seemed so empty within the past few years!" Cheryl said.  
  
"Wait. Who's Anna-Bliss?" Draco asked curiously.  
  
"One of my best friends. I havn't seen her since I was...I think it was the summer after first year..."  
  
I went off into my own little Lala land, but was jerked back into reality when Aunt Cheryl said, "No. It was the summer before first year. She hasn't even stopped by much in the time you were gone. But she skis very often. She always takes Andi, but he's not a very good skier. Maybe you should go over to see her after dinner." Aunt Cheryl suggested.  
  
"I think that sounds great, Hermione. You should take Draco with you."  
  
MOM!!! I silently screamed.  
  
"Ok. Fine by me." I said, forcing a smile.  
  
Great. Now Abbi gets to meet my pig headed best friend in my parents' and aunt's eyes.  
  
Jolly.  
  
Just jolly.  
  
I finished dinner fast, regardless of my thoughts telling me to finish slowly to stall spending more time with that lazy pig-headed pain in the ass.  
  
But he wasn't a pain in the ass before dinner.  
  
Grr.  
  
Stupid Draco.  
  
NO!  
  
Stupid Malfoy!  
  
There.  
  
Much better.  
  
Now, on to Abbi's.  
  
I walked to the door and put my shoes on. I grabbed my coat and almost called to Malfoy to hurry up, but he walked into the hall with his ski jacket and shoes on.  
  
Ok.  
  
Here goes nothing.  
  
I opened the door.  
  
I let him out.  
  
I followed.  
  
I closed the door.  
  
We're on our way to Abi's house, which is about a quarter mile away, but it still is the nearest to our house.  
  
We walked in silence for a little while, but confined in silence isn't the way I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to be loud. And excited. But I just feel annoyed that I have to spend the rest of the night with Malfoy.  
  
"You know, you didn't have to come." I said simply.  
  
"I know." Came his simple answer.  
  
"Well, why did you come then?" I asked, irritated.  
  
"I wanted to. Imagine that." Came his reply.  
  
"Why? I mean. You hate me. Simple as that." I stopped and turned to him when I said this.  
  
Draco sighed.  
  
"I don't hate you. I just have to have a certain image. If I don't, I'm punished. Now, can we drop the subject?" He said, his eyes closed and his head thrown back to the stars.  
  
"Well, you still havn't told me why you came." I said slowly, afraid he might blow up in my face for pursuing the matter.  
  
"If I tell you, will you drop the subject?" He asked, now looking me straight in the eyes.  
  
"Yeah." Was all that I could say.  
  
"Three reasons. One: I'm curious about this Anna-Bliss girl. Two: I needed to get out of that house. It seems like I've been there all day. And three: I wanted to spend more time with you." He said, starting to walk again.  
  
"One: she'll probably drive you insane. Two: It does, doesn't it? And three: why would you want to spend time with me?" I answered all of the things he said with my comments and questions.  
  
"You told me you'd drop it." He said, but I knew that he didn't mind my comments since he was smiling.  
  
"Well, I can get curious, too, you know." I answered.  
  
"So who is this Anna-Bliss girl?" Draco asked me.  
  
"Well...she was extremely full of energy and loved to dance, sing, and ski when I was here last. But with my luck she's probably changed so much she won't even remember me.  
  
We were nearing Abi's house when I was saying this, so I started to end the conversation.  
  
"Mostly, she's a wild girl who's not afraid to be herself." I sighed in anticipation as we neared the door. We reached the door and said, "This is it." Before knocking.  
  
A girl answered the door and I gasped.  
  
"Abi?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: Hi! It's me. What do you think? I didn't really want to make up the details of how badly Draco Dahling bombed the mountain, so I went along with the friend route. As for her name, I made it up: Anna-Bliss Isen. I got Abi from Anna-Bliss Isen. The capital letters are what I got it from. Well, The next chappy will be about Abi and Andi. TTYL! 


	7. Abi and Andi

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I do own Abi, Andi, Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Bethany, and...I think that's it...lol.  
  
A/N: I am soooooo sorry it took me so long to post. I've been brain storming a lot. Plus I'm starting softball. My coach is a slave driver. I just thought you ought to know. Thank you to my reviewers. I really appreciate it. But you people don't want me to go on about my reviewers, now do you? No? I didn't think so. I only have one thing to say: I made a change to the last chapter. I changed the last two lines. I wanted Hermione dearest to be the gasping one. Ok? No? Well, TOO BAD! Now! On with the story!  
  
*******************  
  
The Ski Trip  
  
*******************  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
*******************  
  
Abi and Andi  
  
*******************  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
I looked at the girl in the doorway. No way was that Abi! What did she do? She looked absolutely horrible!  
  
The girl now leaning on the doorframe had one crutch, a full leg cast, an arm sling (lol...what are those thingymabobers called again?), and a neck cast. Her once short black hair was now long and trailing down her back. Her naturally tan skin was almost all covered up by bandages. But her eyes still shone silver with happiness.  
  
"Mimi? Is that you?" The girl asked.  
  
"Oh my gosh, Abi! What did you do?! What happened?!" I exploded with questions once she called me by my nickname. We were the only ones who knew them.  
  
"Well, let's just say that Old Rocky is living up to its name." She said smiling.  
  
"Yup. That's Rock Dodge, alright." I said, walking into the house.  
  
"So's Andi here?" I asked.  
  
"Andi? Ya. Why?" Abi asked.  
  
"Because I have a thug following me. He needs another thug to grunt with." I said, smiling sweetly at Draco while he half glared half smiled at me.  
  
"Oh! Ok!" She said. She hobbled over to the stairs and called up the stairs, "Hey! Thug! Get your scrawny little butt down here to meet one of your kind!"  
  
Hermione waited to see how Andi had changed. She heard someone coming down the stairs and looked at Abi.  
  
"So which run did you bomb, Abi?" I asked casually.  
  
"Oh...M. I was trying to go down the moguls really fast. I wasn't ready for it. And I was racing, too. Remember the girl down the street? Mandi? Well, she turned out to be a real bitch. She was all bragging about how she could take the moguls faster than I could and-"  
  
"And she took up the challenge, nearly getting herself killed." Andi cut her off.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the Ogre himself. So glad you graced us with your presence." Abi said, joking with her twin brother.  
  
"Shut up. Now who's this?" He said, turning to me.  
  
"Three guesses." I said. "Anna-Bliss got it on her first." I said not using our names for a reason.  
  
"Um...Heather?"  
  
"Hell no!"  
  
"Kira?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Beth. You have to be Beth."  
  
"Who the Hell is Beth?" I asked Abi.  
  
"Good question, Mimi. Maybe mom will know..." Abi said, watching her brother's face.  
  
His face showed confusion, then realization, and then horror.  
  
"Abi, you tell mom who those people are, I'll kill you. And did you say Mimi?"  
  
"What if she did?" I asked him nonchalantly.  
  
"Oh my gosh! Mimi! Where've you been for the past six years?!" He asked me, practically killing me with one of his bone crushing hugs.  
  
"My dad didn't want to see my Aunt. They were in some kind of fight. My mom booked a trip and bought the plane tickets so that my dad couldn't back out. And we rode a plane for a long time, stopping in Salt Lake. It was long and boring." I said once he released me.  
  
He had the same eyes as Abi: silver shining with happiness non-stop. And his hair was the same color black. They were easily identified as twins.  
  
"Well! I believe I was called down here because there's one of my kin here. And no way is Mimi it. Where's the other lout?" He asked me, rubbing his hands together in excitement.  
  
"Right here. Draco, meet Abi and Andi: the two insane people. I am the third in the insane person's trio." We all bowed simultaneously.  
  
"Right. Now, how good are you at grunting?" Andi said, walking over to Draco and leading him into the next room.  
  
"He's kinda cute." Abi said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
I was being led into a different room than Hermione by some guy who I didn't know.  
  
"Right. Now, how good are you at grunting?" Was he serious about this?  
  
"Uh...Er..." I said, trying to think of something to say to that.  
  
"Great! You have the confused grunt down! I always find that hard to teach..." He said, taking out a notebook and checking off confused on a sheet.  
  
"You can't be serious. We're actually going to grunt?" I asked, thinking I should have brought Crabbe and Goyle with me. This guy would have loved them. He would be teaching them how to grunt in all the right places.  
  
"Well...ya. Girls talk and 'get to know each other' when they meet new people. I got tired of that. You always ask all the same questions. Where are you from? Where do you go to school? Do you have any brothers or sisters? How old are you? What's your favorite sport? None of those things are any good to me. I don't talk about sports or school. So why ask about it? Instead, I teach people one of my favorite things to do with my friends: Grunting. If they don't like it, then they probably won't like me." He said, sitting down on the couch.  
  
"Ok...I guess it makes sense..." I said. I kinda saw where he was going with this.  
  
"So...I guess I must start you on a beginner's course, shouldn't I? Unless, of course, you are an experienced grunter. You aren't, are you?" He asked me.  
  
"Um...no..." I said, thoroughly confused now.  
  
"Well then, we better get started if we're going to have you grunting by the end of the night. Now, first we'll start with this one..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
"No way you think he's cute! He's annoying and an egotistical prat to boot! I mean, come on!" I argued with Abi as we made our way into the kitchen to grab a couple of Jones' sodas.  
  
"I didn't say he was charmingly nice! I said he was cute! There's a difference, Mimi." She told me, opening her bottled soda. "Besides, he hardly said anything! How could I tell if he was as annoying and egotistical as you said?"  
  
"Huh...good point. But once you get to know him, I swear you'll get tired of him. So what'd you run into? A tree? The chairlift? Mandi?" I asked, taking a drink between sentences.  
  
"Actually, I ran into the lodge. Go figure, huh? You'd think I'd be able to stop by then!" She said, sounding like she still didn't believe it.  
  
"When's it coming off?" I asked, hoping that it would be off soon.  
  
"Actually, the day before Christmas Eve. Isn't that great? I'll be ready to dance on New Years! Yes!" She said, making her way into the den.  
  
"Great! I might have forgotten the steps, though. I may still remember them. Hey, we should watch a movie." I said, scanning the set of movies.  
  
"No way you could have forgotten! You'll remember. The steps'll come back to you." She said, scanning the movies also.  
  
"Ooh! How about Signs! I so need to see a scary movie! I havn't seen one in a while. I don't get T.V. privileges at my school. It sucks monkeys." I said, grabbing Signs from the shelf.  
  
"Sounds good to me. We'll have to get the Ogre and his apprentice a little while longer, though. Last time I interrupted his lessons, I was paying for it in poker later on. He can play some mean cards, Mimi. He's not innocent little no-bluff-Andi any more. It's not good. Not good at all. I was broke for a while. It wasn't fun. I couldn't even afford a chocolate bar a the Emporium!" She said, setting down on the couch and turning on the T.V.  
  
"What's on the tube?" I asked, plopping down next to her.  
  
"News, news, soap, news, cartoon, cartoon, news, soap, soap, soap, cartoon, SPONGEBOB!" She said, stopping at a cartoon.  
  
"I'm just gonna say you've cracked and leave it at that." I said, looking at the cartoon of a yellow, square-shaped sponge wearing pants that were also square.  
  
"Don't tell me you don't have Spongebob in England? Oh, you poor deprived child!" She said, settling in and watching the Sponge speak with a starfish.  
  
We watched the tube for another half hour and then called Andi and Draco- I mean Malfoy - to come watch the movie.  
  
Andi came in and proclaimed in a proud voice, "I now present my newest student and congratulate him on graduating from Grunt School. Ladies, Ghosties, and Furniture, I present to you, Draco Malfoy!" He said as Draco -I mean Malfoy- walked into the room looking at Andi like he was insane, but reasonably normal. At least, as normal as Malfoy- Ha! I said it without thinking this time! - could get without insulting someone. And that was pretty different already.  
  
He walked into the room and sat on the couch right next to me.  
  
What the Hell happened to normal?  
  
I got up and put the movie into the VCR.  
  
"So...what are we watching?" Andi asked, plopping himself into an armchair. Good thing it was an armchair, too, because if he'd been on the couch, he could have broken someone else's arm or leg or something.  
  
"Signs." Abi said nonchalantly.  
  
"What?!?" Andi asked, horrified.  
  
"Signs." Abi said again, watching the previews.  
  
"I thought I told you to burn that movie!" He said.  
  
"Well, I obviously didn't, seeing as how we're watching it."  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
"Why? It's just a movie! Would you rather be watching The Ring?" She asked him.  
  
"Well...no..."  
  
"Well, we're not, so just sit down." Abi said, pointing to the chair he had plopped into minutes earlier.  
  
"What's going on?" Malfoy asked me in a hushed voice.  
  
"Andi doesn't like scary movies. He never did. He hasn't liked any of that supernatural stuff in a scary movie ever since he saw E.T. when he was three." I whispered back.  
  
"And what are you two talking about over there?" Andi asked.  
  
"Oh, just about you're undying fear of scary movies." I said calmly. I turned to Malfoy again and continued telling him of Andi's fear of scary movies.  
  
"So anyway, when he was three, he watched this movie about this nice little alien named E.T. who just wanted to get home. The problem was, the U.S. government was after him. So, he got afraid of the scary-looking people in white suits knocking on windows of this house that E.T. was in and now, he doesn't like aliens or anything supernatural. Get it?" I finished my story and asked him if he understood what all I had said.  
  
"Ya. I got it." He said, suppressing a laugh at his fear of a nice little alien in a move.  
  
"Oh! The movies starting!" I said, sitting back to watch the movie.  
  
"WAIT!!!!!" Abi half said half yelled.  
  
"ABI?!?!?!" Draco said, annoyed.  
  
"We forgot popcorn!!!! How could we forget popcorn?!?!?!?" She was practically hyperventilating over that fact that we forgot popcorn.  
  
"I'll go make some!" Andi said, getting up.  
  
"I'll go get some more soda. You're ok with Jones soda, right Dra? (Pronounced Dray)  
  
"Who, me?" Malfoy asked, thoroughly confused at being addressed as Dra.  
  
"Yes, you. Now do you like Jones soda or not?" Abi said, impatiently.  
  
"Uh...sure..." He said uncertainly.  
  
"Great! Cause it was either that or water!" She said, hobbling down to the basement.  
  
So, we were left alone.  
  
Jolly good.  
  
I mean it.  
  
Not.  
  
"So...how did grunting lessons go?" I asked uncertainly.  
  
"Well, I didn't graduate with flying colors, but I graduated, and that in itself is a miracle." He said, resting his arm over the top of the sofa.  
  
"Oh, well, did you learn confused? Andi always says that's hard to teach." I asked.  
  
"Actually, I already knew it." He told me.  
  
I looked at him like he just grew another head.  
  
"You didn't!" I said disbelievingly.  
  
"I did. But I didn't know I knew it until I knew I knew it." He said, shrugging.  
  
"Dude! Even I didn't learn that one! Maybe that was due to the fact that I didn't get that far and he gave up on me when I got to the tired grunt. I was a helpless case. He stopped teaching girls after that. He now thinks we're all hopeless when it comes to grunting. But I know one thing: it's definitely not my forte." I said, leaning back. Without realizing it, I had leant back on his arm. I still hadn't realized it, either.  
  
"Oh. Well, what is your forte, then?" He asked, apparently not noticing the new pressure on his arm.  
  
"Aside from skiing and school, I'd have to say...either baseball or cooking. It kills me that I always have to miss little league softball here. I could have played All Stars! Urgh! I hate living in England!" I said. I love softball and baseball. But I can't hit a curve in baseball, so I switched to softball and was the best outfielder and second best third baseman in the league. Too bad I couldn't play anymore. I can sometimes get my dad to go out with me and play catch or pitch me some whiffle balls, but it's not the same. I need the thrill of the game and a team to play with.  
  
"Well, I hate you living in England, too Mimi." Abi said, coming up the stairs with about eight more Jones sodas. "The team just isn't the same without you."  
  
"I'm sure they aren't. How's the Sasquach (sp?)?" I asked, turning to Abi.  
  
"Who, the coach or his daughter?" She asked, setting down the bottles.  
  
"Both."  
  
"Oh...She's fine. Taken over best outfielder, but has yet to become a regular pitcher. Can't pitch a Squeegee worth crap."  
  
"Yup. Change ups always were her problem. How about Sasquach Senior?"  
  
"Same ol' same ol'. Still a slave driver that makes us run like ducks. Need I say more?"  
  
"No. Where is Andi with the popcorn?"  
  
"No clue. He better not have left! Andi! Get your scrawny-"  
  
"Little butt out here right now or you'll be hurting when you wake up in the morning. I know, I know. I had to make lots. You two are pigs who'll eat through one of these in a heartbeat." He said as he came in, carrying a huge bucket of popcorn.  
  
"Shut up and start the movie!" Abi said.  
  
"Ok, ok! But remember, I know where you sleep." He said, looking at her before starting the movie.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Two hours later)  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
I awoke to the sound of a couple of people whispering. I had some source of warmth next to me and opened my eyes to see what it was.  
  
"What the-"  
  
"Shush!" Abi warned me.  
  
"She's mighty cranky when someone wakes her up." Andi said to me in a low whisper.  
  
"Unless you want your head bit off, you better carry her home. She's not a very light sleeper, so you could easily put her coat on her and get her home. I suggest you get her home and get her on her bed. Be sure to cover her up." Abi said, coming back with her coat and putting it on her gently.  
  
"Here." Andi said, handing me my coat.  
  
I put it on best I could without moving her.  
  
"Ok, You can get in the house, right? You know the key code for the garage door?" Abi asked me.  
  
"Ya."  
  
"And you know the way back?" Andi asked me.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"Good, have Mimi call me, ok?" Abi asked.  
  
"Yea."  
  
"And keep up the good grunting." Andi added.  
  
"I will."  
  
"Ok. Good luck getting in!." Abi said, opening the door for him.  
  
"Alright, thanks for everything, guys. Talk to you later." I said as I exited through the front door.  
  
I stepped out into the chill of the night to find that Aunt Bethie's front porch light was on. This made the going all the more easy. I was walking along with a girl in my arms that would probably have declined having me carry her even if I had offered. Her head was resting on my shoulder and I was walking through the chilled night air to the place I will be calling home for the next three weeks.  
  
I had to admit that having her in my arms was helping. I wasn't at all cold. Just a little chilled in the face, but my hands and arms were fairly warm. And it was making the going fairly quick because she was asleep instead of fighting with me about one thing or another. This also helped that fact that I didn't want a headache before I went to bed.  
  
I was surprised earlier when she told me all that stuff when we were alone in the den. About the baseball and grunting and how Andi was afraid of supernatural things all because of a nice little alien who wanted to go home. What was hit name again? Peaty? Dee dee? Something like that. Maybe being around some old friends put her in a more agreeable mood. I don't know. But she told me all that stuff. And we fell asleep on the couch together. I'm surprised she actually was all right with touching me. I'm surprised I'm actually all right with touching her.  
  
This is all getting too weird.  
  
I reached the house and punched in the key code and the garage door opened quietly. I walked into the house and up the stairs to her room. I set her down gently and took her coat off her. I put that aside and took off her shoes. And put them on the floor. I grabbed the blanket at the end of the bed and covered her with it.  
  
I looked at her and, finally deciding my work there was done, fled to my room where I got in bed and fell aseep. 


	8. To the Movies!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter. But, I do own Abi, Andi, Cheryl, Bethany, and Mandi. Please don't take them from me!  
  
A/N: Well, after all those reviews, I guess I have to write, don't I? Guess what all! I went to Scotland! Yay! It was screwy, but I loved it all just the same. Well, let's get writing!  
  
Chocolatekisses234: I promise I won't stop.  
  
Sila-chan: Well, I guess your prayers have been answered. A headband is, like, a little thing that covers your ears to keep them warm. No, not like the ones girls wear. A lot of people wear them here in Montana when they go skiing. Ok? Ok. Good.  
  
RussellGrl15: I'm glad you like my perception of Hermione and Draco. Here's more of it.  
  
Oceanguardian: I'm glad you plan to come back and finish it.  
  
Keke: OK!  
  
Elp5089: Ok.  
  
NOYB: love the name...lol. Well, I dunno what'll happen next, to tell you the truth. But if you like it, tell me.  
  
Draco is the man: I'm glad it's such an easy read. Toot-a-loo to you too!  
  
ShortyAlex: *coughs from them choking her* Can't... type... from... lack... of... air...lol. I'll get on it right away.  
  
********************  
  
The Ski Trip  
  
********************  
  
Chapter eight  
  
*********************  
  
To the Movies!!!  
  
*********************  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
I woke up on my bed, but I hadn't remembered getting there. I just remembered being over at Abi's with Draco and Andi. We had been watching a movie. I had been sitting next to Draco and Abi and Andi had been munching down on popcorn.  
  
"I must've fallen asleep. Maybe I got up and walked home, but was too tired to remember it. Or maybe Draco carried me home...nah. I doubt he'd even do that if I had begged him on my hands and knees. Well, I'll just have to ask him." I said to my self while I stared at the ceiling.  
  
I looked over at the clock and my eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"OMG! I slept in to 11:30! I wanted to go skiing today! Shit. This is what I get for staying up so late. Must have been the jet lag. Yeah. That sounds right." I mumbled to myself as I gathered my things together and made my way to the bathroom for a shower.  
  
Twenty minutes later I came out dressed in some flared jeans and a green knit shirt over a white tank top and went back to my room carrying my stuff, put it in the hamper, did my hair up in two French braids, and went downstairs for some brunch.  
  
I took a peek in Draco's- I MEAN MALFOY! MALFOY, MALFOY, MALFOY! (A/N: lol. Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!) -room. He was awake, judging by the fact that his bed was made and his clothes in the laundry basket.  
  
I continued walking to the kitchen, and ran into him on the spiral staircase that led to it. I probably would have fallen over if it hadn't been for the railing and his arms coming up just to make sure I didn't fall.  
  
"I was just coming to wake you up. You slept pretty late. I was starting to think you died in your sleep." He said, dropping his hands from my shoulders when he knew I was balanced.  
  
"Well, I'm here and I'm hungry. Where're my mom and dad?" I asked, emerging in the kitchen and grabbing a box of cereal and a bowl.  
  
"They went skiing. They left me a note to wake you up if you slept past noon. I probably could've slept that late, but once I'm up, I'm up. So what're we going to do today?" He asked me.  
  
I thought about this as I poured my cereal and milk. I sat down on a chair and started eating when I suggested, "How about we see a movie? I could ask Abi and Andi to come. I don't know what's out, but I might be good. Plus, the theater's really cool. It's pretty old, so it gives you the feeling you're there for those old dinner theatre things. Want do you think of that?" I asked. I had started eating and was already half way through my cereal.  
  
"Um...sure...but what's a movie?" He asked. Honestly! He knows nothing of the muggle world!  
  
"Um...well...I don't really want to explain it. But you'll like it. I promise." I said, finishing my cereal.  
  
"Um...ok..." He said. "Well, I'm going to be in the den. Tell me when you call Abi and Andi and get an answer, ok?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah, sure." I said, getting the phone book.  
  
I found the number and dialed it up.  
  
Ring.  
  
Ring.  
  
Ring.  
  
Ring.  
  
Sigh.  
  
"I am slowly going crazy. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, switch. Crazy going slowly am I. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, switch. I am slow- Oh! Hi Mr. Isen! How are you?"  
  
"Fine...who's this?" He asked me.  
  
"This is Hermione Granger." I answered, looking all around the room.  
  
"You're back?" He asked, almost in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, I'm back. Anna-Bliss and Drew (A/N: What Andi asks everyone to call him. Only Abi, Hermione, and Draco call him Andi.) didn't tell you?" I asked, also in disbelief.  
  
"Well, when I got home from Mrs. Restat's house last night, she was asleep."  
  
"Oh. Ok." I said, spinning myself up in the phone cord.  
  
"Would you like to speak with her?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, please." I said, unwinding from the cord.  
  
"La, de da, de da..." I said, spinning up in the cord again.  
  
"Hello?" came Abi's voice on the phone.  
  
"Hey, girl! I was thinking-" I began, but was interrupted.  
  
"Oh! Not a good sign, Mimi. Thinking can hurt!" She joked.  
  
"Oh! I know! My brain is hurting already!" I followed this up with some moaning. "There's only one way to fix my brain hurting!" I said, moaning again.  
  
"Oh! Mimi! You're right! We should go see a movie! After all, you may die from the pain that this has caused you!" She said. Then she broke out in laughter, as did I.  
  
"Here, let me go ask." She said.  
  
Silence.  
  
Sigh.  
  
"La, de da, de da...A pickle climbed a tree and ate a gum ball...And started singing with Santa Clause...And-"  
  
"My daddy dearest said we could. Wanna bring the thugs?" She interrupted my insane ramblings.  
  
"Why would I wanna do that?!?" I asked, appalled at the thought. "Just kidding! Yea, let's go! By the way, what's playing?" I asked, curious.  
  
"Oh, just The Fellowship of the Ring. Heard of it? Or has your school completely kept you in isolation from the outside world?" She asked.  
  
"Yea, I've heard of it. I've read it too." I said laughing.  
  
"Great! We'll walk to your house at one. It shows at 2:30. We'll have enough time to stop at Subway and get some sandwiches. Then we can either get some pizza at Bogart's or get something at the Red Boxcar. Sound cool?" She asked.  
  
"Yea sounds great! When do you guys get out of school?" I asked.  
  
"At the end of the week. Then my casts come off five days later. Great, huh?" She said, cheerfully.  
  
"Yup! Well, I gotta go. I'll see you in an hour!" I said, hanging up.  
  
I walked into the den to see what Malfoy was doing, and saw him sitting on the couch staring at the fire, lost in thought.  
  
I walked up to him,  
  
Tapped him on the shoulder,  
  
And ducked behind the couch.  
  
"Huh? What? Granger? Where are you?" He asked, getting up.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
I had just been tapped on the shoulder by, obviously, Granger. But, I couldn't see her, so I stood up. I looked over the couch to see her laying on her back staring at the ceiling intently.  
  
I looked at her, confused, and looked at the spot on the ceiling to see if it held any interesting points, causing her to look at it. Big mistake.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
He looked up at the ceiling. That was just what I had wanted him to do.  
  
I jumped up, grabbed a pillow from the couch, and hit him with it.  
  
He jumped in surprise at the sudden movement and the blow he had taken to the head.  
  
I clutched my pillow as he grabbed another off the couch.  
  
I ran for my life,  
  
And ended up in my room.  
  
I retreated to my bed, where I covered myself with the pillow as much as I could.  
  
He came in,  
  
Grabbed my pillow that was serving as an extremely poor shield,  
  
And hit me to death with his pillow.  
  
Don't get me wrong,  
  
I did hit back.  
  
But the attempt was futile.  
  
We both ended up, exhausted, on the floor.  
  
I suddenly broke out in laughter.  
  
He just stared at me like I had just grown another head, or something.  
  
I clutched my pillow to my stomach as I laughed.  
  
He just watched me, trying not to join in my laughter.  
  
I looked at him as I gradually stopped laughing.  
  
I sighed, trying to gain enough energy to sit up.  
  
He showed no sign of even moving.  
  
"Uh...Malfoy? You there? Anyone home?" I asked, waving my hand in front of his face.  
  
"Malfoy? Speak to me, man!" I said, getting up and shaking him gently.  
  
"Houston, we have a problem! We have a man down! Get us out of here!" I said into my hand, like I was saying it into a mike.  
  
He suddenly grabbed the pillow I had recently hugged to my chest and hit me right in the head with it.  
  
"Ok! I surrender!" I said, hands up in the 'surrender' position. "We need to be ready to go to a movie by one. Ok?" I said, leaning against my bed.  
  
"Yea. Sure. So, do you want to explain this movie thing, or does it have to be a surprise?" He asked, putting my pillow on my bed.  
  
"Well, I may as well tell you since you shouldn't look too surprised around Abi and Andi. It's a big screen that shows moving pictures put together into one story. So, it would be like watching a picture in a big room with sound. Get it?" I asked, hoping that he would.  
  
"I...guess..." He said uncertainly.  
  
"You don't, do you?" I said, doubtful.  
  
"No. No I don't. But I guess I won't be too surprised, though. Well, you said we have to be ready by one? Well, it's 12:30 now, so we better get ready to go. I need to brush my teeth and eat." He said, standing up and pushing his hair back with his hand.  
  
"Actually, we don't need to eat anything. We're going to stop by Subway on the way there. The movie starts at 2:30, so we'll have an hour and a half to eat, get there, buy tickets and snacks, and get seated. Don't worry about it." I said, also getting up.  
  
I looked in the mirror to see my hair a mess. I took out the braids I had done earlier and redid them. I turned to see Malfoy standing there, watching me.  
  
"What?" I asked, a little exasperated.  
  
"Nothing." He said, shaking his head as he turned and walked out the door.  
  
"Um...ok..." I said, turning back to the mirror and straightening my shirt.  
  
When I was done there, I walked down the hall, down the stairs, and walked across the kitchen to the family room. I jumped over the back side of the couch and plopped down on the cushions. I grabbed the remote and turned on the T.V.  
  
"Let's see...news, news, news, soap, history, soap, cartoon, cartoon, hm...is this Spongebob?" I asked myself, looking at the crab that looked like Mr. Crabs. "Well, I may as well watch this." I said, setting the remote down on the coffee table.  
  
I lay there for a little while, glancing at the clock every once in a while, until it got to be five minutes to one. I then got up, turned off the T.V., walked up the stairs, walked to the bathroom, and brushed my teeth. After that, I walked back down stairs and grabbed my boots. It was, after all, snowing outside.  
  
"Malfoy! You better be ready in a few minutes! They'll be here any minute!" I called up the stairs.  
  
I heard a muffled "OK!" and guessed that he was brushing his teeth.  
  
I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a quick note to my parents and our aunts saying that we'd gone to a movie and would eat at Bogart's after. I ended it with saying that we'd be back around 7-8:00. I set down the pen and ripped the note off the notepad.  
  
Ding- Dong!  
  
I walked to the door,  
  
Unlocked it,  
  
Opened it,  
  
And let the chilled people standing outside in.  
  
"Hey, guys! Ready for a good movie?" I asked, looking at the two people, shivering slightly.  
  
"Yup! Where's the other thug?" Abi asked, looking into the den to see if he was sitting there.  
  
"He's just upstairs brushing his teeth. He'll be down in a minute. How much does a movie cost?" I asked, making sure I had enough money in my purse.  
  
"Well, since it's a matinee, only $5.00 each. But popcorn and pop'll make it about $10.00 total. Then there's Subway. That'll be about $5.00 each. And Bogart's prices are the same. We'll split it evenly. Sound good?" Andi said, taking off his beanie and gloves.  
  
"Yup, sounds great. Urgh! Where is that Ferret?" I asked no one in particular.  
  
"Ferret? You mean Dra? Or did you get a pet that we don't know about?" Abi asked, curious.  
  
"She means me." Draco said, walking down the stairs, clad in boots, gloves, and a coat.  
  
"Don't ask. So, you guys seen this movie yet? Or is it new to all of us?" I asked, changing the subject from my slip-up to the movie at hand.  
  
Abi and Andi didn't ask about the Ferret thing and we chatted happily all the way to the Subway. When we got there, we all ordered and sat down.  
  
"So, how's school going for you guys?" I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich.  
  
"It's long. And dull. I hate Biology! It's retarded! I want to take Chemistry. But no! My counselor seems to always forget me when I sign up. Everyone else has gotten in that's applied! But not me! Even Abi's gotten into it and passed with flying colors!" Andi's rave was followed up by a gigantic bite taken from his sandwich.  
  
"Maybe you didn't get in because you have yet to pass Biology. You've gotten straight C- in it for the past year and a half. Maybe if you pulled your grades up to B's, or even C's, you'd get in Chemistry. Plus, Mrs. Moore doesn't like you." Abi said matter-of-factly.  
  
"What do you mean she doesn't like me? I'm always nice to her!" Andi said, angry.  
  
"No, you're not. To her face, yes. But behind her back, no. And she knows what goes on around school. She is, after all, a counselor. That's her job." Abi countered, taking another bite of her half-gone sandwich.  
  
"O...oh..." Andi said, looking like Christmas Vacation was cancelled.  
  
"So..."I said uncomfortably. I wasn't used to Andi blowing up after one thing being said. He was kind of reminding me of Ron...  
  
"So, Mimi, Dra, do you guys know each other from anywhere else besides your aunts live together? Do you go to the same school? Because I know you're both British. I can tell by the accent." Abi said, starting up conversation again.  
  
"Um...yea. We go to the same school. Though we're not exactly known for hanging out with each other." I said, hoping they'd just leave it at that.  
  
No such luck.  
  
"Oh, really? Because you seem to be getting along pretty well right now. What's keeping you guys from hanging out all the time?" Andi asked, now done with his sandwich.  
  
"We...just don't hang out with the same people. And our friends don't get along very well." Dra-MALFOY!!! I MEANT MALFOY!!!!!- said, finishing his sandwich, too.  
  
"And why not? You're both pretty bearable. I'm sure both of your friends are pretty bearable, also. What's keeping you guys from being friends?" Abi asked, also finishing her sandwich.  
  
"They just don't want to be friends. And this is one of the first times he's been civil to me all my life. And that's because of a truce we called. That's pretty much why we aren't at each other's throats all the time." I said, taking my last bite and checking my watch. "We'd better get going. It's 1:45 right now. That gives us forty-five minutes to get to the theater, buy tickets and snacks, and get seats. You all ready to go?" I asked, getting up out of my chair.  
  
There was a chorus of "Yup." around the table, and we all got up, threw our trash out, and walked out the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
We finished eating our sandwiches and walked out the door. The town was smaller than I thought it was. We could've probably made it to the theater in ten minutes from here if Abi wasn't on crutches.  
  
I'm guessing that the building that says "The Fellowship of the Ring" on it is the one we're going to. That is, after all, the "movie" we're going to see. I'm still a little skeptical about this whole movie thing. I mean, what the hell is a movie? I understand T.V. and home videos, but a movie? Shown in a big theater? Sounds like it isn't very safe. After all, you never know what muggles may do when you get them all together.  
  
After we walked for about twenty minutes, chatting casually about this and that, we crossed the street to the building that I had suspected was the theater.  
  
It was sandwiched between a store and a restaurant. It had a big vertical sign that read "ROMAN" in big, red and white letters. Before the doors, there was a little four foot by four foot box that had a sign reading, "Children 12 and under $5.00, Adults $5.00 matinees or $7.50 evening showings."(A/N: I'm not making this up. This theater really does exist and really does look like that.)  
  
"Money, please." Abi said, holding out her hand to us. I looked at Her- Granger as I took out a little piece of leather holding some muggle money that Aunt Beth had called a wallet. Granger, getting what I was asking, took my wallet and took out a couple of pieces of paper (I still don't see how a little piece of paper could be of value) and handed them over to Abi, along with her fair share.  
  
Abi, who was paying for the tickets, didn't have time to question the favor that Granger just did for me. Andi, however, had to ask.  
  
"What was that all about?" He asked, turning to us.  
  
Granger, who must've expected someone to ask that very question, had an answer to his question.  
  
"He's never been to the States. He's been having some troubles with the money and been asking me for help so much that I already know what he's asking for before he asks it." Granger said as she accepted the ticket Abi had just given her.  
  
"Um...ok..." Andi said. I think he was trying to make himself believe the lie. This, I was glad for.  
  
We walked past the ticket box and through the doors behind it. (A/N: Ok...I've never actually been in the theater, so the inside is totally made up. The only thing I'm even remotely sure of is that there's only one theater. So, if you've been there, please don't yell at me, because I'm just imagining what it'd look like.) I could've sworn we had aparated to the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
The room was clad in red velvet. The wood paneled floor was covered in a large red rug. The walls were a rich, dark wood covered with red velvet curtains in certain places along the wall. The only windows were on the doors that we came through to get in. There were two couches and two chairs on the right side of the room, all red velvet, and two coffee tables, the same type of wood as the walls and floor. To the right was a bar (the same type of wood as the floor and walls) with a few people standing behind it talking. There was an assortment of candies and drinks behind the counter, and what appeared to be a machine that made that popcorn stuff that Abi and Andi were eating last night. Directly in front of us were a couple doors (of the same wood, yet again) that must've lead to the theater.  
  
We walked up to the bar and Andi ordered some snacks for Abi and himself. They walked across the room to the chairs and two couches and sat down. Then Granger walked up to the counter.  
  
"Um..." She started. "I would like a medium Dr. Pepper, some Sour Jacks, and a medium popcorn." She told the guy standing at the counter.  
  
He got the things she asked for and punched a couple of buttons on a little machine.  
  
"Will that be all, miss?" he asked Granger.  
  
"Um..." She said, turning to me.  
  
"Do you want anything?" She asked.  
  
"Um...I would like a drink. Whatever you're having." I said, hoping what she was having was good.  
  
"Ok. Make that two medium Dr. Peppers." She told the guy. He got another drink and punched another couple of buttons.  
  
"Is that everything?" The guy asked again.  
  
"Yes, that'll be it." She said, getting out her purse.  
  
"That'll be $9.75 please." The guy said.  
  
Granger pulled out some more pieces of paper and a couple of coins (which didn't look of much value, either.) and gave them to the guy.  
  
"And may I please see your ticket?" That guy asked. Her-Granger showed him our tickets and he let us go join Abi and Andi.  
  
We all walked up to the door and went in.  
  
The room was filled with chairs (all clad, yet again, in red). There was only one aisle that lead right down the center of the room. There were about 50 or 60 chairs in the whole room. At the front of the room, and where all the chairs were facing, there were solid pictures playing on the screen. Then said things like, "Thank you for turning off your pagers, beepers, and cell phones." (Whatever that means) and, "Thirsty? Get a drink from our snack bar." The walls were covered with red velvet curtains, and there were little lights along the aisle possibly for when the showing starts (Or maybe the muggles need a little help knowing where the aisle is.)  
  
We all walked right up to the front row so that Abi would be able to get in easily. As it turned out, Abi got the aisle seat, Granger sat next to her, I sat next to Granger, and Andi sat next to me. I still don't know how I ended up next to Granger, but oh well. I doubt we'll be talking during the movie anyway.  
  
We were the only ones in the theater.  
  
Granger checked her watch and said, "It should be starting any minute now."  
  
As she said this, the lights started to dim and the screen started to get moving pictures on it. And the amazing part was that it had sound! It was like real life! Only...not?  
  
As we sat there in the dark room, Andi turned to me.  
  
"You like Mimi, don't you?" he whispered to me so that Abi and Granger couldn't hear.  
  
"What?" I asked, turning to face him, not believing he had just asked me that. "No. I don't." I told him, turning back to the screen.  
  
"Oh. I see." He said. If it'd been any lighter in the room, I would have looked to see if he was smiling. Which he probably was. I don't know why, but I heard a hint of a smile in his voice. Maybe it was because he liked Granger himself. Or maybe he thought I was in denial. Well, whatever it was, he was smiling.  
  
I sat there in silence for the rest of the movie.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
After we sat down, I checked my watch.  
  
"It should be starting any minute now." I said.  
  
The lights started dimming in the same way remember as I said that.  
  
The commercials started it off as always. Abi turned to me and asked me the one question that I thought she'd never ask.  
  
"Do you like Dra?"  
  
"Excuse me?" I asked, not believing my ears.  
  
"I asked you if you like Dra." Abi said plainly.  
  
"Hell no!" I exclaimed as quietly as I could. "I told you he was a jerk last night! Why would I do a 180 in twenty-four hours?" I asked, looking at her as if she was insane, which it was sounding like ti with every word she said.  
  
"Right." She said. She was smiling. I couldn't see it because the screen went darker, but I could hear it in her voice. She was smiling. I just don't know why. Maybe she likes Malfoy. Ew! Gross! How could I even think that she thought that? It must be something else. Besides, it wasn't a 'I'm happy that you don't like him' smile. No, she would have sounded more content. This sounded more...knowing? Maybe she thinks I'm in denial. I don't know. Hey! The movie's starting! Something to get my mind off these confusing thoughts! Yay!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(3-4 hours later)  
  
The lights came back on as the movie ended. I turned to Abi and asked, "You up for some of Bogart's Weirdo Specialty? Or do they still have the recipe? Please, please, please, please, please tell me they still have the recipe!" I said, turning from Abi to Andi and Malfoy, and back again.  
  
"Last I checked, they still had the recipe. But Mandi works there, so I try to steer clear of that place when she's working." Abi said, easing herself up our of the chair.  
  
"Is she working today?" I asked, eager for some of our special pizza.  
  
"Well...I couldn't get a hold of her planner this week, so I don't really know. But I do know that she usually doesn't work more than two or three times a week starting Tuesday, and she already worked Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, so I doubt she'll be there. And if she is, we'll just hope she's not our waitress." Andi said, also getting up.  
  
We all walked out of the theater into the chilly night. It had gotten dark only a couple of minutes ago, judging by the light on the horizon. We made our way to Bogart's, which was only a block or so down on the other side of the street.  
  
As we walked into the warm parlor, we saw that it wasn't very busy at all for a Sunday night at 6:00. People were all probably getting a good night's rest tonight, because most people had work or school (or both) the next day.  
  
The walls in the pizza parlor were covered in pictures of Bogart himself. There was a bar on the right side of the room, some booths lining the left wall, and some tables and chairs in between the two.  
  
"Abi! Andi! How are you two doing tonight?" A short girl with bleached brown hair and freckles said, coming up to the podium that had a stack of menus and a waiting list (which was pretty much empty at the moment).  
  
"Oh, we're fine, Mandi." Abi said stiffly.  
  
"That's great! And who are your charming friends?" She asked in a fake happy voice. She turned to look at Malfoy and I. There was nothing wrong with looking at us, but the wrong thing was that Mandi winked at Malfoy. I shivered slightly at this.  
  
Since no one seemed to want to introduce Malfoy and I, I spoke up.  
  
"What? You don't remember me, Mandi? Because *I* remember *you*!" I said in an extremely preppy way.  
  
"Excuse me? We've met? I don't think so. I would've remembered you." Mandi said to me, but her eyes only flashed to me once before they returned to staring at Malfoy. I shivered once again at this.  
  
"Oh, we met a while back. Say, nine or ten years ago?" I said, trying to trigger a memory.  
  
"Nope. I havn't even the foggiest idea of who you are." Mandi said, now turning to me and fixing her penetrating gaze on me.  
  
"Oh. Well, that's just too bad. We'd like a table for four. And, if it'd be all right, we'll order right now. We'd like the Bogart's Weirdo Specialty, please. Heavy on the cheese. And we'd like a pitcher of Dr. Pepper, also." I told her as she wrote it all down.  
  
"Right this way, please." She said, setting the menus she had grabbed down and leading us to a booth in the far corner.  
  
"Your order will be out shortly." Mandi said curtly to me.  
  
I stuck my tongue out at her back as she walked away.  
  
We sat down in the booth. I ended up by Malfoy again, but he got the aisle seat. Andi was across from me and Abi was across from Malfoy.  
  
"Wow, Mimi! You actually shut her up, got us to a table, and ordered without once giving your name. I'm impressed. You may have some potential for one of my other classes." Andi said to me.  
  
Mandi returned then with a pitcher full of Dr. Pepper and four glasses.  
  
"Enjoy." She said curtly before leaving.  
  
"Well! Who pissed on her pizza this fine evening?" I asked no one in particular.  
  
"I think you did, Granger." Malfoy said out of the blue.  
  
"Who, me? No! I think it may have been the fact that you didn't introduce yourself the minute you saw her." I said as I looked at him. He'd hardly talked all night.  
  
"I think it was Mimi here dismissing her like she wasn't anything but another person, which she isn't. That and the fact that Draco here didn't have any reaction to her shamelessly flirting with him. I think the combination was what got her pissed." Andi said, pouring a glass of Dr. Pepper for himself.  
  
"I think you're right. Man, she hasn't changed a bit. Still short, annoying, and artificial. I thought she might grow out of that!" I said, also pouring myself a drink.  
  
"Well, not everyone changes." Abi said, pouring herself a drink, also.  
  
"We sat there drinking and chatting for about ten to fifteen minutes. By that time we had all gotten a little hungry, so when Mandi came by with our pizza, we all wanted a piece.  
  
There's quite a story behind the Bogart's Weirdo Specialty. (A/N: I made the whole weirdo specialty thing up. Don't try to go to Bogart's and order one, because they don't exist.) In fact, Abi, Andi, and I are the creators of it. And, we were the only one's who were ever brave enough to try it. It has a little bit of everything at the Bogart's Pizza Parlor. They even have pieces of bread sticks and nachos on them. And, the great thing is, it's delicious. (A/N: Again, I just made this up, so I'm not even sure if this'd taste good, so if you try it and don't like it, please don't sue me!) It even has it's own size, large. You can't get it any other size, because if you try it, you'll probably want more than a small or medium.  
  
Good thing Malfoy has never had pizza before, because he'd probably never have tried this pizza otherwise. But, he loved it. I'm totally amazed at this.  
  
We spent the next fifteen to twenty minutes talking and enjoying our pizza. Boy, was I glad we did this tonight. I needed some good Bogart's pizza.  
  
When we were done eating, Mandi returned with our check. We split it evenly and left minutes after we got the receipt.  
  
As we walked out, Andi and I grabbed flashlights out of our jackets. I had figured we'd be out past dark, so I had grabbed a flashlight from under the kitchen sink before we left. I was really glad for it now.  
  
We walked in silence for a while, just savoring the silence. We hadn't shut up at all since the movie, which was almost an hour ago. Then, Malfoy started laughing quietly to himself.  
  
"What're you laughing at?" Andi said, standing still for a second, switching places with me. I had been placed next to Malfoy once again when we came out. Now I was walking next to Abi.  
  
"So...why did you ask me if I like Malfoy back at the theater?" I asked when we had gotten a little ahead of the guys.  
  
"Well, I just thought you two would make a cute couple. But you shot the idea down so fast I wouldn't risk binging up the subject again." Abi said, watching the ground to make sure she wasn't going to set her crutch in a crack.  
  
"How would we make a cute couple?" I asked, confused.  
  
"I dunno. You just look cute together. Plus, last night you two looked so cute together, asleep in each other's arms. And-"  
  
"What do you mean 'asleep in each other's arms'?" I asked, thoroughly confused by now.  
  
"Well, you two fell asleep during the movie. Lord knows how, I mean, Andi was screaming his guts out! But you two still slept soundly. Any way, You must have leant back on his arm at some point in time while Andi and I were gone and not noticed it, because you were resting your head on his shoulder and leaning against his arm. And the best part was, he didn't seem to know what happened, either. He carried you home, you know." Abi said. By this time we had reached the dirt road to our houses.  
  
"Ok. It's official. You're freaking me out!" I told her, casting the flashlight on the ground ahead of us.  
  
"Well, the truth hurts sometimes." Abi said, trying to pick level ground to walk on.  
  
"I don't think that's the truth." I said.  
  
"Believe it." Was all she said. We walked in silence the rest of the way to my house.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
Andi dropped back and walked with me.  
  
"So, whatcha laughing about, bro?" He asked me.  
  
"Just at how shallow that girl-Mandi- was at the restaurant. She reminded me of this one girl at school." I told him. She had really reminded me of Pansy. It was almost uncanny.  
  
"Some girl at school got the hotts for you too, Dra?" Andi asked, elbowing me.  
  
"Yea, but she's a real pain in the ass. Her name's Pansy. Boy, is she lame!"  
  
"Yup, I'm already seeing the resemblance." Andi said, smiling to himself.  
  
"You know, I meant what I said back in the movie theater." I told him.  
  
"What? About you and Mimi?" He asked, like it was a surprising news article in the Daily Prophet.  
  
"Yea. I don't like her. And I could tell you didn't believe me then, and I know you don't believe me now. I want to know what made you think I like her." I told him. I wanted to set him straight.  
  
"Well, last night, before Abi and I woke you up, we took a good look at you two, 'asleep in each other's arms' as Abi likes to put it, and thought you would make a pretty cool couple. Plus, I know both of you really well. I mean, *really* well. I mean, if a guy will grunt with me, I know a lot about him pretty quick. Don't ask me why, I just do. You'd make a cool couple, if you'd just give it a shot." He said, looking at the backs of Abi and Granger, about ten yards ahead of us.  
  
"Well, I don't think we're going to give it a shot. Because we can hardly stand each other as it is. I don't think going out will help that at all." I told him, shoving my hands into my coat pockets.  
  
"You seem to be standing each other now. How much harder could it be? I mean she's cool and you're cool. You'd probably like her if you gave her a shot." Andi said.  
  
"We called a truce. Plus, we kind of told our family that we are good friends. So, at home we have to be nice to each other. I don't know how I'm doing it." I said. I was getting tired of this. Why'd I have to bring it up?  
  
"I'm just saying that, should you give it a chance, it'll be great for you. For the both of you." He said.  
  
"Yea? Well, sorry to burst your bubble, we're not going to give it a chance, so could we just drop the subject?" I asked, a little ticked now.  
  
"Yea, sure, pal." He said. A deafening silence followed us all the way home.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
When we arrived at the house, I leant against the garage door and checked my watch. We had about ten minutes until my parents sent out a search party. Perfect.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll see you guys some time this week. Good luck in school. Keep up those grades in Chemistry!" I joked with Abi, just as Andi and Malfoy walked up.  
  
"Again with the Chemistry!" Andi said, grasping the air in front of him and tilting his head up. "Why?" He asked no one in particular.  
  
"We've been over this already!" Abi said, tugging on his coat sleeve. "Come on, Let's go. It's too chilly out to be standing still."  
  
"Ok. We'll go. We'll se you later!" Andi said, turning toward their house.  
  
"Bye!" I said before turning to the key code.  
  
I punched in the numbers and the garage door opened.  
  
We walked into the house and up the stairs, only stopping to tell our families that we were back and were going to bed.  
  
I walked into my room, quickly changed, and collapsed in bed, exhausted.  
  
I fell asleep minutes later.  
  
A/N: Well! That's a long chapter if I ever saw one! Hope you people enjoyed reading! Doncha love my choice of movies? Lol. Well, I'm really tired now. I've gotta go to bed. It's midnight here, and I'm tired. So Good night, and R/R 


	9. Talk about Physical Removal

Disclaimer: Yes, I own Harry Potter. What color is the sky in my world, you ask? Well, right now it's orange. But yesterday it was hot pink. And it has green clouds and silver grass. Pretty cool, huh? And you want to know what the name of my world is, too? Well, it's called Lala Land. It's a great place. Yup, I live in Lala Land and I own Harry Potter. Not.  
  
A/N: Ok. I'm going to do some shout outs, but they probably won't be too good because I'm going to try to put them as I did before they disappeared off my computer. You want to know something? I HATE RAM!!!!! (Random Access Memory) I'll choose ROM (Read Only Memory) over RAM any day. This chappy will be a day without Abi and Andi, because they have to go to school. It's a Monday, in case you were wondering. I just went to Red Lodge yesterday for the Highland Games. But they didn't have any games this year, which really sucked. They just had the program later that night. I got to dance in it. YAY! Well, I've decided that shout outs are a real pain in the ass, so I shouldn't do them unless you're confused or something. After all, it does take writing time away from me. Well, I better start writing.  
  
*******************  
  
The Ski Trip  
  
*******************  
  
Chapter nine  
  
*******************  
  
Talk about Physical Removal  
  
*******************  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
I woke up at 9:00 the next day to the creak of the door. I opened my eyes slightly to see what was going on, and saw Granger peaking in at me though the crack in the door.  
  
'What is she doing?' I thought to myself.  
  
I then voiced my thoughts, though in a nastier way.  
  
"Granger, what the Hell do you think you're doing?" I asked her, sitting up in my bed.  
  
"I'm looking to see if you're awake or not. You got a problem with that?" She asked, walking into the room, her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Well, I guess it wouldn't really matter if I did or not, now would it? After all, you found out what you wanted to. So, I suggest you leave before I decide to physically remove you from the room." I said, getting out of bed.  
  
"You? Physically remove me? Pfft. As if. Even Harry and Ron combined can't do that." She told me, stepping farther into the room.  
  
"Is that a challenge, Granger?" I asked, taking a step closer to her, examining her weaknesses.  
  
"I guess it's not what I meant for it to be, but what you took it to be. So, what did you take it to be?"  
  
She was challenging me, and she knew it.  
  
Bad move on her part.  
  
I brought her down into a headlock.  
  
Bad move on my part.  
  
She was out of that in two seconds - TOPS!  
  
"Is that all you got?"  
  
Now, challenging me is all right, but getting out if it and then challenging me again?  
  
I started circling her.  
  
"Hm..." was all I said.  
  
"What's 'hm...' supposed to mean?" She asked me suspiciously.  
  
"Well, I can tell right now what your one weakness is." I said as I stopped in front of her.  
  
"I bet you're wrong." She told me defiantly.  
  
"I bet I'm not." I told her, crossing my arms in front of my bare chest.  
  
"Well, I bet you're wrong!" She repeated.  
  
"Well, I bet I'm right!" I repeated.  
  
"Well, I bet-"  
  
I kissed her.  
  
And I was right.  
  
Big weakness.  
  
Huge.  
  
Humongous.  
  
Gigantic.  
  
She melted.  
  
And I got her out of my room.  
  
Easiest removal I've ever done.  
  
Even including the time I told Crabbe and Goyle that they scheduled a midnight snack in the Great Hall and that if they got caught by a teacher on the way there, they would be given extra food.  
  
And, as I moved her out of my room, I broke it off, and slammed the dorr in her face.  
  
I could just see the look on her face.  
  
It was classic.  
  
But that wasn't what I was thinking at the time.  
  
I was just feeling guilty.  
  
The only thing was, I didn't know why. 


	10. The Second Encounter

Disclaimer: Ok...I think you guys know the drill by now, but I'll post this again anyway. I do not own Harry Potter, any of his acquaintances, or anything else that you may consider familiar. This also includes a quote from the movie Holes. If you've seen the movie, Pendanski says it in the Wreck room.  
  
A/N: Another chapter just for you guys. I feel so loved that I'm on some people's favs lists! And to think I was just bored and decided to write something. Well, I was just up in Red Lodge a few days ago, so I have a fresh picture of the place down in my head. And I think it's high time they go skiing again, so expect some more mountain action in this chapter or the next. Now, with all that said, I will start writing.  
  
********************  
  
The Ski Trip  
  
********************  
  
Chapter ten  
  
********************  
  
The Second Encounter  
  
********************  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
I stormed away in a huff after that little 'incident' in Draco's- Urgh! Not AGAIN! It's MALFOY'S!!! -room. I swear I could've killed him!  
  
It was 9:15 and I was still in my pajamas and hadn't eaten yet. I went down stairs to see what I could have and ended up running into my dad.  
  
"Hey." I said, making my way towards the pantry.  
  
"Good morning." he answered, grabbing the paper and sitting down with a huge cup of coffee.  
  
I was a little afraid to talk to him after his argument a few days ago with Aunt Cheryl. I didn't know what to say.  
  
So instead of saying anything, I chopped up some bananas, apples, and oranges, threw them in a bowl, grabbed the funnies out of the paper and dug in, laughing occasionally.  
  
Minutes later, my mom walked in and poured herself some orange juice, Malfoy at her heels.  
  
"Morning, all!" she said. I was used to her usual cheery self when she just gets up, but Malfoy gave me this look that said, 'is she high?' I just laughed and finished my breakfast.  
  
"I'm going to call Abi. I was hoping we could just catch up today." I announced to whoever might listen.  
  
"You might want to shower first, Granger." I heard Malfoy say.  
  
"You should talk. You smell like puke from a mule that's been ruminating on asparagus for two weeks." I said back, quoting one of my favorite lines in one of my favorite movies. (A/N: This is to spite you, Azlexion!)  
  
"Mimi!" He said, emphasizing my nickname. "I didn't know you walked up and smelled me on a regular basis."  
  
I gave him an evil glare for using my nickname that my parents didn't know that said something along the lines of, 'you're dead you cow turd' and then said in an ultra-sweet voice, "I don't. I can just smell you from all the way over here, and, I'll tell you the truth, it's not exactly the best smell."  
  
He just gave me this look that showed me that he wasn't affected by my petty insults and he grabbed some cereal and a bowl and started eating.  
  
I shook my head and walked out of the kitchen up to my room so that I could take a shower.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Draco P.O.V.)  
  
I had now sat down in Hermione's old spot and was reading my morning comics in content. Although, they would have been more interesting if they were moving, they were still funny. You know, these muggles may not be very advanced, but they sure do know how to have a good laugh.  
  
Ten minutes later, Mrs. Granger decided to interrupt my perfect breakfast of Froot Loops, orange juice, and comics. "You know, I don't remember Hermione ever mentioning you in her stories, Draco." Hermione's mother said to me as I was eating my breakfast.  
  
I started coughing as she finished, surprised that she would think of that.  
  
"Wait," Mr. Granger, ignoring my coughing, started reminding her about a few times I'd been mentioned. "I remember a Draco Malfoy. As I recall, she said something about him being...what was it? A...wonderful jumping weasel?"  
  
I felt my cheeks flush at the thought, and I fought back a wince. That had been painful.  
  
I swallowed my bite of cereal and then attempted a quick save. "Well...I'm known for...um...making other people jump around while they are...um...around weasels. Um...apparently it's considered...wonderful?"  
  
"I see..." Mrs. Granger said, leaning back in her chair and staring down at me over her glasses, scrutinizing my appearance.  
  
"Well...with that said...I think I'll just...er...go and...erm...get ready for the day..." I said, getting up slowly. I walked over to the sink, put my bowl in the dish washer, walked calmly over to the stairs, and then dashed up them, hoping to appear as calm and collected as could be when someone was bring back a very painful memory.  
  
When I reached the top of the stairs, Hermione was coming out of the bathroom after a shower.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
I stepped out to the bathroom with only a towel on. (For some reason) I had been in a bit of a rush to get out of sight, and walked right into the bathroom without thinking.  
  
Anyway, I stepped out of the bathroom and heard someone come up the stairs. Now, normally you can't hear anyone come up these stairs (the floors are charmed to not squeak.) However, when one who is around one-hundred-and- sixty pounds and is sprinting up them, you can't miss the pounding.  
  
So, I was standing in the hallway, hair dripping from lack of a hair dryer, and there was someone coming up the stairs. I thought of making a mad dash for my room, but the hall was pretty long, and I would never make it. I wanted to stay composed and didn't want to have to stand in the bathroom with my ear pressed against the door, so I just started walking down the hall, one hand holding the towel that was wrapped around me secure, and the other messing with my hair.  
  
"Well, well, well." I heard from behind me. I froze. I couldn't help but think how horrid my odds were.  
  
I turned around to see that I was face to face with Draco Malfoy.  
  
Now, I remembered the last time that had happened, and I didn't feel too good about that. I took a step back just so that I could put a bit more space in between us. I wanted to put even more space, (like the air between him and my room) but I wasn't going to play the cowardly damsel in distress.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy." I said, icily.  
  
"You know, you should walk around here like this more often. It makes things much more interesting."  
  
"Here, let me at least act like I'm going to consider that one." I said, putting on a thoughtful face and stroking a fake beard with my free hand. "Hm...now that I've done that, I have tow things to say. Get a life and good-bye."  
  
I turned and started walking, but he started talking again. Now, if it had been just the usual thoughtless remark or something like, 'I like cheese,' I would have kept walking. However, he said one of those things that make you stop and think about what to say back. I like to call those thinkers. Well, he said a thinker. That wasn't cool, because I actually had to stop and think about a comeback.  
  
"You liked it."  
  
It was just three simple words. I should have kept walking. I mean, he's just the Slytherin ferret. He's not worth it. But I just had to stop. I had to deny it. For my pride's sake, I had to deny it.  
  
"I did not."  
  
"Did too."  
  
"Did not."  
  
"You're in denial."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Are too."  
  
"You just think too highly of you skills."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do too."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do to-" I was cut off in mid sentence.  
  
I had been so focused on winning the debate that I didn't notice that we had been moving towards each other.  
  
Now, let me give you some advice on debating. When you're debating against something, don't go and do that thing in the middle of the debate. It defeats the purpose of two opposing sides trying to convince an audience that they believe in what they're fighting for.  
  
I kissed him.  
  
For all you people out there who are thinking that this must have been a dawning of a new relationship and that this was the most beautiful moment of our lives, it's not. For all of you who think that we saw fireworks and heard trumpets sound when we kissed, trust me. They didn't. For those of you who think that this is the beginning of a long life together and probably think that Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger will end up together, it's not. At least...I hope not...  
  
In fact, this was kind of...an attempt at proving something. I'm not quite sure what, but I'm sure I was trying to prove some point.  
  
We broke apart, gasping for breath. As soon as I had regained my breath and composure, I turned into my room and slammed the door in his face.  
  
Ha! That was the point I was trying to prove! I was trying to show him what it felt like to be played with like that. And boy, did it work! The look on his face was...what's a good word for it? Funny? No, that's not it. Pleasing? Well, it was, but that's not the word...Ah, yes. Priceless. His expression was priceless.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Hello, all! This is you favorite author speaking! Lol, j/k. So...now that I finally wrote this chapter, what do you all think? I've been kind of busy lately, and I'm the biggest procrastinator in the world, so I havn't really made my stories priority. However, I did get another chapter up in...about a month. So, that's pretty good for me, if I do say so myself. I want to know what you think, so please, R/R!!  
  
Detri 


	11. Maybe Friends?

Disclaimer: Yup, you guessed it. I don't own Harry Potter. Why would I want to? I would want Draco, instead! Lol. Sadly, I don't own him, either. Oh well. I wonder how much he costs.........j/k.  
  
A/N: Well, I'm back! When I read MoonLupin's review (Yes, you.) I was all, "Aw.........they really do like it! Heck, even my best friend told me that I was really good at writing Fan Fics. And she usually starts off her critiques by, "That sucks." Or, "I don't like it." Or even, "Why did you write this?" lol. It's all right, though. I still love you, Lexi! Lol. Not. J/k. Well, you people are probably thinking, "Mmmmmhmmmm.........get on with the story! I don't want to read about how you love your best friend!" So, I'll just get along with that chapter.  
  
The Ski Trip  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
Maybe Friends?  
  
(Hermione P.O.V.)  
  
"Ring.........Ring.........Ring........."  
  
"Urgh! Why is it these people never pick up on the first couple of rings?!" I mumbled to myself as I started humming a nameless tune.  
  
I walked over the refrigerator and grabbed myself some orange juice.  
  
"Ring.........Ring.........Ring........."  
  
I looked around the kitchen in complete boredom as the phone continued it's ringing.  
  
"Ring.........Ring.........Ring"  
  
I took a drink of the juice as I read some of the headlines on the front page of the paper.  
  
"Ring.........Ring.........Ring........."  
  
"Urgh, screw it!" I said, and slammed the phone down on the receiver.  
  
I walked over to the couch and collapsed onto it. I grabbed the T.V. remote, switched on the T.V., and tuned into Spongebob Squarepants.  
  
I was so focused on the cartoon that I didn't notice someone walk up behind the couch, look at me, and then walk around it so that they were about where my legs were sprawled haphazardly, but still comfortably.  
  
I did notice, however, when that certain person sat down on my legs and made himself comfortable on me.  
  
(Draco P.O.V)  
  
I had walked downstairs in search of Granger, and heard that muggle contraption (What was it called again? Tellymation, or something?) going, so I walked into the living room to check out who was watching it and to see what they were watching.  
  
I saw some legs sticking over the edge of the couch, and walked up to it to see that Granger was totally zoned into the yellow sponge and pink starfish. I still don't get it.  
  
Well, since I was in a sitting mood and I like killing two birds with one stone, I decided to annoy Granger by just sitting on her legs, I mean, she was so zoned into that program that I figured she wouldn't notice anyway.  
  
Well, I was a tad bit wrong on that one. When I sat down on her, she stiffened, and then kicked me off like I was nothing. Now, I'm not saying that I'm easy to kick off. I'm just saying that I just so happened to sit on her in a way that she could easily kick me off. Honestly. I didn't put up a fight because she reacted so fast I couldn't stop falling until my butt was clearly on the floor. And then, my head just so happened to be in her way, so she pushed it out of the way, and rather roughly, might I add.  
  
Well, I was kind of out of it at this point, because things were happening much too fast and I was suffering from a bruise on my butt. So, I decided to bug her verbally instead.  
  
"You know, Granger, I never thought you'd stoop to taking other people's ideas." I said, referring to the kiss only half an hour before.  
  
"Good God! Can a girl watch her Spongebob in peace?!" She asked no one in particular.  
  
"Um.........no." I answered, and she just turned to me and glared before turning back to the.........um.........thing.  
  
We sat in silence as she watched the yellow sponge buy an ice cream cone and I as there thinking of how I could bug her.  
  
After a few minutes, I grew tired of the squeaky voice of the sponge, so I decided I needed to break that not-so-silent silence.  
  
"You know Granger, you're really not very good company when you're staring at that stupid sponge eat ice cream." I said, hoping she would start talking.  
  
"Mmm........."  
  
"And you don't look to great when you've got that 'almost-drooling' look plastered on your face."  
  
"Uh-huh........."  
  
"And monkeys are blue and made in China." I said, taking the most random thought I could think of. (A/N: Ha! There you go Lexi! I'm thinking of adding the Cody Treatment somewhere, too.)  
  
"Sure........." Granger was still tuned into that stupid sponge. Now I really wanted to know what was so interesting about that damned sponge. I mean, it's eating ice cream, for heaven's sake!  
  
So, I did the first thing that came to mind. I turned off the contraption.  
  
"What did you do that for?!" She asked, almost like she was coming out of a trance.  
  
"I was creating interest." I answered.  
  
"No, you weren't. You were creating a distraction to interest."  
  
"No, I'm right. I was creating conflict, which creates interest. So, indirectly, I was creating interest."  
  
"Um.........I don't really care. I can't get a hold of Abi, so I'm going to just chill until around noon. Then I'm going to go get some lunch, and see if Abi is home yet. Is that interesting enough for you?"  
  
"Gees, who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?" I asked her, clearly attempting to irritate her, which I was succeeding in grandly.  
  
"I didn't have Cheerios. I had fruit. And no one pissed in it. So leave me alone." She said, turning on the muggle contraption again and spreading out on the couch again.  
  
"Real nice come back, Granger. Did you come up with it all on your own?" I mocked, hoping she would take the bait. Love arguing with her. She's so funny to watch, and her eyes flash in this really nifty way that keeps you staring back at them, and-  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
What am I saying?!  
  
This is Granger!!  
  
She's no different to argue with than anyone else.  
  
Yea, that's right.  
  
Now to actually believe it.........  
  
"Malfoy?" She asked curiously, breaking me away from my thoughts.  
  
"What?!" I asked, irritated now. I didn't know what I was irritated at, but I was irritated. It was time for me to become a force to be reckoned with.  
  
"Um.........you had a kind of funny look on your face when I told you to shove off. Kinda.........dazed. Dreamy almost. It was freaking me out, so I figured I would snap you out of it before you totally freaked me out." She told me. Gosh, she's impossible!  
  
"I was thinking, thank you very much! Now that you broke my train of thought, I can't even remember what I was thinking about. Thanks a lot, Granger." I said, and turned to leave. I started walking out of the room, my irritation plain on my face, until I heard her mumble something incoherent.  
  
I stopped. I loathe mumble-ers. They should just say what's on their mind and get it out in the open instead of so poorly disguising it as a pointless mumble.  
  
"What?!" I asked, turning on my heel, and walking right up to her.  
  
"What do you mean, 'what'?" She asked, looking up at me curiously.  
  
"What did you just mumble?" I asked a little more patiently, trying to calm myself.  
  
"Um.........I'd rather not have you blow up at me again, so I'm not saying." She said, looking me in the eye.  
  
I sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.  
  
"What if I promised I wouldn't blow up at you?" I asked, my voice sounding almost.........friendly.  
  
"I would wonder if your promises were worth anything and then probably decide to not tell you." She said, looking me in the eye, a serious look on her face.  
  
I was in shock. I've never really known how deep this mistrust went. I'm pretty sure if she was dangling from a branch on a cliff and I was the only other person around, she wouldn't trust me to help her get to safety. I was shocked. I figured she would at least trust me a little, but I guess I figured wrong.  
  
"Well! Fine then!" I said snottily. I crossed my arms, crossed my legs, and stuck my nose really high up in the air. I completed my look by swinging my one foot impatiently. Needless to say, I wanted to lighten the mood a little bit.  
  
I saw Granger look at me while taking a drink of orange juice and start laughing while the juice was still in her mouth. She pulled the glass out of her mouth and covered her mouth while she laughed in case she started spitting orange juice everywhere.  
  
Well, this just encouraged my antics. I looked over at her in an appalled way and then stuck my nose back in the air with an exaggerated 'humph'.  
  
Well, this pushed her over the edge. Within seconds, orange juice was coming out of her nose.  
  
When I saw this, I couldn't hold a straight face any more and burst out laughing with her. We were soon rolling on the floor in side-splitting laughter.  
  
Are you surprised at this?  
  
No?  
  
Well, I was.  
  
After our laughter subsided, we were lying on the floor with our heads right next to each other and our bodies facing opposite directions (i.e. first came my feet, then our heads, and then her feet.). We were just laying there staring up at the (not too interesting) ceiling and listening to the Tellymation.  
  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Granger started to clap.  
  
I looked over at her, confusion written plain as day on my face.  
  
"What on Earth are you clapping for, Granger?" I asked.  
  
"I am applauding your excellent display of an annoyed stuck-up woman." She said simply, still clapping.  
  
"Actually, I thought of it more as an impression of a ticked off gay guy." I commented, plastering a thoughtful look on my face. (A/N: Don't get me wrong. I have absolutely nothing against gay people. They can be pretty cool, so please don't be offended.)  
  
At this, Granger laughed a little more to herself and grabbed a pillow off of the couch next to her so that she could have something under her head.  
  
"You're somethin' else, Malfoy, you know that? You really are." She said shaking her head, a smile playing on her lips.  
  
"Well, I do what I can." I told her, also grabbing a pillow and propping my head up with it, also smiling.  
  
We sat in silence, enjoying the fact that we were actually getting along without really trying, just staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Hey Malfoy?" Granger suddenly piped up out of nowhere.  
  
"What?" I asked, turning my head to face her.  
  
She paused for a second, appearing unsure of herself. "Why do you hate me?" She asked, still staring at the ceiling.  
  
I looked at her, wondering how she could ask such a tough question.  
  
"Well........." I started, wondering what I would say to a question like that.  
  
I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts, and then started.  
  
"I guess I never really hated you personally, but I hated the fact that there was someone better than me who hasn't been trained to do everything perfectly; someone who doesn't have as much riding on their success as I do. Someone who does well because they want to. I guess I was angry with the fact that you were better than me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't surpass you in anything. And then there's the fact that you have positive support coming form all directions. The majority of the people who I am seen with all the time aren't exactly the most intelligent or supporting. My father doesn't congratulate me if I do well; he tells me to keep it up or else. So.........I guess that's why I've always picked on you." I said.  
  
After I had said all that, I felt better knowing that I had told someone, but worse because I wasn't sure if she would understand or take it the way I had wanted my future confidant to take it. I stared at the ceiling, not daring to look at her and face the reality that I had, basically, just spilled my soul out to one of my biggest rivals. I prayed that she would take it the right way and not start laughing hysterically like she had been moments before.  
  
I listened for the laughter that I was almost positive would come.  
  
Silence.  
  
I turned my head to see if she was laughing silently or something. She wasn't. She was looking at me with this strange look. I couldn't quite place it. It looked like it contained a bit of understanding and compassion, but I wasn't sure.  
  
After looking at each other for a while, she finally spoke.  
  
"So, it's not just that fact that I'm muggle born?" She asked, looking a little disbelieving when she said it.  
  
"No. It's not. Do you honestly think I would be that shallow?" I asked, slightly hurt.  
  
"Well.........no.........But you always make such a big deal out of my heritage, so I figured that was what it was. But, I'm glad it isn't." She said.  
  
Silence fell over us as I thanked my lucky stars that I had found someone who would listen to me and actually understand what I was saying.  
  
We just spent the whole day watching that muggle contraption (Granger told me that it was called a 'television' not 'tellymation'.) and hanging out. I must say that even I had some fun. We didn't argue very much (notice the key words: very much) and there weren't any uncomfortable silences. Amazing, huh? I know. Scary, almost. But, the truth can be scary sometimes. That's just the way life works.  
  
Well, we were just hanging out when Granger jumped up from her position on the floor, grabbed my arm, pulled me up with her, and then ran to the front door, firm grip still in place on my arm.  
  
When we got to the front door, she let go of my arm and put her coat, headband, gloves, and scarf on. I just stood there as she slipped her boots on, my confusion increasing with every move she made.  
  
Once her boots were secure on her feet, she unlocked the door and ran out into the snow.  
  
She jumped out into a rather large snow bank and just sat there while I stood in the door, believing that she really was crazy.  
  
After she sat there for a while, I decided that I should ask her what she was doing, because she probably wasn't going to tell me.  
  
"Granger? What on Earth are you doing?" I asked, and she turned her head to me, a grin plastered on her face.  
  
"I'm enjoying the view of the sunset from a deep snow bank in my aunt's front yard. Would you care to join me?" She asked.  
  
I looked at her for a moment, seriously questioning her sanity by now, and almost declined her invitation.  
  
And then I really looked at her. She looked like a little girl, sitting there in the snow, entranced by the setting sun. My first thought was that she must be very easily amused, but I then thought about that. This is Hermione 'Mimi' Granger. She would very hardly be considered easily amused. As a matter of fact (one that I would never mention out loud), we had very similar interests. So.........I threw caution to the winds and grabbed my coat, scarf, gloves, and beanie. Once I had all of those on, I slipped my boots on and walked out the door, locking it behind me.  
  
I walked over to the witch sitting in the snow and sat down next to her. I looked at her for a second and shook my head before looking at the mountains. My breath caught in my throat.  
  
The sight was so amazing. It was like looking at a postcard. One of those with the perfect sunset that has so many rich colors that you would expect to see in the Caribbean. But it was here. In my very own aunt's front yard. I couldn't believe it. The sun was setting in a gap between two mountains. There was a gentle snow falling over here. And I knew that this wouldn't last very long, and that I should just savor the moment while it lasted.  
  
I looked at it for a moment longer, and then I felt a pair of eyes looking at me.  
  
I looked over at Granger and saw that she had a mildly interested look on her face.  
  
"What?" I asked her. She just shook her head and turned back to the mountains, watching it for a little while more.  
  
I took this as my chance to look at her once more; to see if her face would betray anything she had just been thinking.  
  
I didn't find what she had been thinking about me there, but instead, I found a girl with rosy cheeks, some snowflakes in her hair, beautiful green eyes glistening in the sun, and a small smile playing on her lips. Even I couldn't deny that she was beautiful. For a moment, I forgot entirely about the perfect sunset that came once in a lifetime for a normal person.  
  
After staring at her for a moment, I turned to the sunset and saw the sun shine its last few rays on this side of the mountains. I sighed happily and leant back into the snow. I soon felt another person lying beside me and looked over the little bit of snow that was a barrier between us and saw Granger looking up into the sky, at the snowflakes gently falling.  
  
We stayed there in silence for a few more minutes, and then Granger spoke.  
  
"Aunt Cheryl used to take me out here when I was little so that we could watch the sunset. This spot was the best. We tried other places on the lawn, but none could seat two and had as great results as this spot. While the sun sank past the mountains, she would tell me this story that she and my dad made up when they were little kids. It was about why the sun sets so slowly. She used to say that it wanted to say good night to everything personally, and if it went any faster, it would surely miss something, and the sun didn't want that." She paused, still looking at the sky. "My dad never told me that story. I asked him why once. He just told me that it was a stupid story that I shouldn't pay attention to."  
  
She broke off there, closing her eyes with a slightly pained expression. She was quiet for a moment, and then continued.  
  
"My dad never used to be so cold to my aunt. Not until I got my letter for Hogwarts. After that, I could tell that things weren't going to be the same. He stopped returning my aunt's letters, quit calling her back. My dad thought that I didn't notice. He thought that since I wasn't around for 10 months of the year that he didn't need to try so hard to hide it. But I could tell. Every summer I heard the messages on the answering machine. I saw the unopened letters in the garbage. I hadn't seen a picture of Aunt Cheryl for years. That's why she didn't know that I was a witch. He never kept contact, and my mum didn't have much time to write her. But I know that she did when she could. Even if it was hardly any information because both of my parents have the same schedules, so she didn't have whole days off when he was working." She paused for a moment, and then sat up. I could sense that the point of this was coming up soon. "I can't help but think that it's my fault that my dad never talks to my aunt!" she finally said, looking at me for the first time during her speech.  
  
I looked at her, shocked that she actually just told me something that's been on her mind.  
  
Didn't we establish this morning that she wouldn't tell me what was on her mind even if her life depended on it?  
  
Now she's confusing me.  
  
I realized that I had been just sitting in silence and staring at her when she's just broken down in front of me, so I sat up and motioned to put my arm around her back to comfort her, paused, looked at the devastated expression on her face, and followed through with my original motion. Granted, I was expecting her to blow up at me for doing this, but at least her mind would be off her aunt and father.  
  
"Gra-" I cut myself off and the started again. "Hermione, you know it's not your fault. Your dad obviously has some issues with jealousy. You shouldn't be taking it all out on yourself and no one should be blaming you, either." I said simply.  
  
She was staring at her shoes while I said this. She seemed to calm down a bit at hearing that I wasn't blaming her for splitting her father and aunt up.  
  
She looked up at the mountains, now shrouded in darkness, and smiled slightly. She then looked at me and said, "Thanks."  
  
She stood up before I could say anything and went to the garage door, punched in the key code and walked into the house, leaving me sitting in the snow, watching a woman walk away from me feeling better than before. A Woman that I had made feel better when she was feeling down. She was my enemy, my competitor, my verbal punching bag, and maybe even my friend.  
  
A/N: So?!?!? Whaddya think? I might have gone a little overboard with Hermione's aunt and dad. Tell me if my suspicions are true. I'm soooo sorry it took so long to get a chapter up. I'm really going to try to update sooner than this. Really. Good news! Summer vacation's only three weeks away! Woohoo!!!!  
  
Please R&R!  
  
Detrianelle 


	12. The Storm

A/N: Ok.........I think you've seen it enough to know that I don't own Harry Potter, and if you want to see one of my many disclaimers, just check one of my other chapters or my other Harry Potter story: The Christikon Way. I'm tired of posting that I don't own Harry Potter, and I'm fairly sure that 11 times in this story and the 5 or 6 times in my other story are plenty. Sound good? No? Well, tough nuggies. Now, on with the story! Just to let you all know, I'm starting this on May 22.........and I'm sorry if I still don't get it up for another month.  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
The Storm  
  
(Hermione's P.O.V.)  
  
"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Be-"  
  
Smack!  
  
'I hate that alarm clock.  
  
'I don't know why I set it every day.  
  
'I mean, ten o'clock is much too early to get up when you're on vacation.'  
  
I opened one eye lazily and looked at the green numbers on the digital clock and groaned.  
  
'Yup.........definitely too early.'  
  
"I'd get up if I were you." I heard someone say. I just groaned and rolled over onto my stomach.  
  
I heard a little laugh and then the same voice say, "Suit yourself."  
  
I then heard someone run up the stairs laughing, the steps pounding with every step they took.  
  
I took no notice of that. I was determined to get back to the land where people can die and then come back to life. As a matter of fact, I had just had a dream about being shot and then buried, and then getting out of the coffin good as new. Creepy, huh? Yea.........that's what I thought. But, it was cool nonetheless.  
  
I rolled over again, and then, the next thing I knew, someone had ran right into my room, turned my radio on as high as it could go, set my alarm off again, and turned a blender that they had plugged on. Now, with all of that noise, I shot up out of my dream world, all thoughts of sleep disappearing from my mind. I looked around the room and saw Malfoy leaning against my doorframe, covering his ears and holding back a laugh.  
  
I just glared at him and got out of bed, grabbing my clothes and going into the guest bathroom to take a shower.  
  
After about twenty minutes in the bathroom showering and getting ready for the day, I stepped out into the hallway to a silent house.  
  
"That's strange. Usually Malfoy's making a ton of noise by this time of day........." I said to myself as I walked to my room to put my stuff away. I stepped into my room to find Malfoy lying on MY bed reading MY book and listening to MY music with MY Discman.  
  
'Well. That explains the piercing silence.' I thought to myself.  
  
By the look on Malfoy's face, he was clearly concentrating so closely on my book and music that he hadn't noticed me enter the room.  
  
I tiptoed along the edge of his circle of vision and got to the side of the bed just out of his sight if he were looking out of the corner of his eye. I then positioned on of my hands right above the curve of the headphones and the other right above his shoulder. Then in two swift movements, I pulled the headphones off his head, shook his shoulder, and yelled "Boo!"  
  
Next thing I knew I was lying face down on the bed with one arm twisted behind my back and Malfoy breathing heavily.  
  
"Gees, Malfoy! Can't you take a joke?" I asked, my voice muffled by the comforter on my bed.  
  
"Oh. It's you." He said, releasing my arm and walking over to the desk chair.  
  
I sat up and dusted myself off. "What was that all about, Malfoy?" I asked casually, pulling my legs up onto the bed and sitting criss-cross- applesauce.  
  
"Reflex," he grunted, staring at the ground.  
  
"Hm.........that's a pretty odd reflex. But, whatever. I don't think you'd tell me anything about it even if I asked, so I'm not going to." I said, getting up and leaving the room.  
  
Malfoy got up and followed me out of the room. I walked down to the kitchen and grabbed myself some oranges and an apple. I brought them out into the den and turned to my favorite station on the tube and started peeling my orange.  
  
Malfoy joined me moments later.  
  
"So.........how are things in the land of Malfoy?" I asked lazily, making small talk as I tried to peel my orange into one long piece.  
  
"They are." He said, watching some interior design show on the station I had turned to.  
  
"Care to elaborate?" I asked, finishing peeling my orange and starting to break apart the sections.  
  
"No. Not really." He said, grabbing the remote control to the T.V. and changing the channel.  
  
"Hey! I was watching that!" I said, trying to grab the remote form him. This accomplished little more than getting the remote very sticky with the orange juice on my fingers.  
  
After many futile attempts of trying to get the remote back, I just gave up and went back to eating my breakfast.  
  
By lunch time (which was around 3:30) Malfoy was complaining about being bored.  
  
"Herrrrrrr-miiiiiii-ooooooo-neeeeeeeee!" he whined.  
  
"What?" I grunted form my comfortable position on the couch.  
  
"I'm bored."  
  
"Good for you." I said, closing my eyes, feeling like having a good nap.  
  
"But Herrrrrrr-miiiiiii-ooooooo-neeeeeeeee! I wanna DO something!" He whined again.  
  
"Didn't your parents teach you what NWA stands for?" I asked tiredly.  
  
"No." He said.  
  
"It means NO WHINING ALLOWED!!" I said, my eyes still closed.  
  
"Oh." He said simply. He was silent for a moment, and I thought he had actually decided to give up on bothering me. I guess I thought too soon. "Herrrrrrr-miiiiiii-ooooooo-neeeeeeeee!" He whined, yet again.  
  
I groaned.  
  
"You have got to be the most annoying person on the face of this earth!" I said, opening my eyes and sitting up.  
  
"Why thank you. I do not believe in striving for mediocrity. So, naturally, I excel at what I do." He said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Good for you. Do you want a cookie for that?" I asked sarcastically.  
  
"Ooh! SUGAR!!!" he exclaimed.  
  
I just rolled my eyes at this statement.  
  
"And how old are you again?" I asked.  
  
"Sixteen and seven eighths." He said, smiling.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"Really really?"  
  
"Really really."  
  
"Hm.........that's interesting. I was thinking you were somewhere between four and five." I said.  
  
"Hm.........you know.........you could be right. I could be four and nine tenths........." He got a thoughtful look on his face and started to stroke his chin.  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised........." I said, tuning back into the television.  
  
I enjoyed the peaceful silence where I could bond with the television for a few minutes before I heard that same annoying noise, "Herrrrrrr-miiiiiii- ooooooo-neeeeeeeee!"  
  
How can one person be so annoying?  
  
I looked at the pillow I was leaning against for a moment before looking at him.  
  
Then, I grabbed the pillow and rammed it into his face.  
  
He glared childishly at me for a second, and then hit me with the pillow he was leaning against.  
  
Needless to say, I never turn down a challenge. So, in a few moments we had a full blown pillow fight.  
  
We had a lot of whacking heads and hitting arms, along with a few blocks of a hit.  
  
After a few minutes of that, Malfoy got this look on his face that basically said, "Ha ha! You're so dead because I have the best plan on the face of the Earth!"  
  
And he grabbed three other pillows so that there weren't any left and started hitting me.  
  
Well, it looked as though if I continued any further, I would pretty much be committing suicide, so I grabbed a tissue from the Kleenex box next to me and waved it over my head.  
  
"I surrender!" I said, dropping my pillow in defeat.  
  
"Haha! I knew you would!" He said, collapsing onto the couch, smiling slightly. (and when I say slightly, I mean you wouldn't even be able to see it if you weren't looking hard.........not that I was or anything.........)  
  
I collapsed next to him seconds later, still waving my Kleenex in the air, also smiling slightly. (only you could see it without looking hard.)  
  
I looked out the window and saw that it was really snowing hard outside.  
  
"Wow.........looks like it'll be a nightmare for my parents and our aunts to get home tonight.  
  
Malfoy looked out the window, too and saw how heavily the snow was falling. His eyebrows rose for a second before he shrugged.  
  
"Yea. Probably. They'll get through it, though." He said nonchalantly.  
  
WE sat around in silence for another hour, laughing every once in a while at the tube, when a weather watch warning came on the screen.  
  
There was a long beep coming from the T.V. as the blue screen had an announcement marquee scrolling across the red stripe in the middle of the screen.  
  
I read it aloud to myself as the words moved along and the long beep continued.  
  
"A severe snowstorm warning as been called for the following county(s): Carbon County." I read to myself.  
  
I looked out the window again and saw that it was nearly a white-out.  
  
"Uh.........Malfoy?" I asked the boy next to me. I looked at him and saw that he was sleeping. How he could sleep when there was a huge beeping coming from the tube at the time was beyond me.  
  
I looked at him one last time, and then walked to the window. I sat in the window seat and looked through the heavily falling snow at where I knew the mountain was. I couldn't see it through the snow, but I knew it was there, and it was getting just as much, if not more, snow as we were down here.  
  
I sat there for a while, listening to Malfoy's breathing and the T.V. talking in the back round. In such a cold and piercing silence, I got this ominous feeling that I wouldn't like how this evening turned out.  
  
I took one last look out the window, got up, covered Malfoy with a blanket, turned off the T.V., and went upstairs to read and listen to some music. 


End file.
